EPR spectroscopy and theoretical study of gamma-irradiated asparagine and aspartic acid in solid state

Comprehensive model for X-ray-induced damage in protein crystallography

Acquisition of X-ray crystallographic data is always accompanied by structural degradation owing to the absorption of energy. The application of high-fluency X-ray sources to large biomolecules has increased the importance of finding ways to curtail the onset of X-ray-induced damage. A significant effort has been under way with the aim of identifying strategies for protecting protein structure. A comprehensive model is presented that has the potential to explain, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the structural changes induced in crystalline protein at ∼100 K. The first step is to consider the qualitative question: what are the radiation-induced intermediates and expected end products? The aim of this paper is to assist in optimizing these strategies through a fundamental understanding of radiation physics and chemistry, with additional insight provided by theoretical calculations performed on the many schemes presented.

Direct radiation effects to the amino acid side chain: EMR and periodic DFT of X-irradiated L-asparagine at 6 K

Radical formation in single crystals of L-asparagine monohydrate following X-irradiation at 6 K has been investigated at 6 K and at elevated temperatures using various electron magnetic resonance (EMR) techniques such as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR), and ENDOR-induced EPR (EIE) spectroscopy. Molecular structures of the three free radicals stable at 6 K were assessed by detailed analysis of the experimental data and density functional theory (DFT) calculations in a periodic approach. Radical LI is assumed to result from one-electron reduction at the amide functional group in the asparagine side chain followed by protonation at the amide carbonyl oxygen by proton transfer from a neighboring molecule across a hydrogen bond. Radical LII is assigned to a one-electron reduction of the carboxyl group in the amino acid backbone, followed by proton transfer across a hydrogen bond between a carboxylic oxygen and a neighboring asparagine molecule. Radical LIII is suggested to be formed by a net CO2 abstraction from an initial one-electron oxidized amino acid backbone. For the DFT modeling of LIII at 6 K, it was chosen to include the CO2 group stably embedded in the crystalline lattice. The assignments made are discussed in relation to previous work on L-asparagine. The relevance of these results to possible charge transfer processes in protein:DNA complexes is discussed.