Determination of bandwidth and frequency changes by Raman difference spectroscopy

Device for Raman Difference Spectroscopy

A new layout of a versatile Raman difference setup is presented. The new device combines the advantages of the rotating cell for exploitation of the resonance Raman enhancement and the high precision of Raman difference spectroscopy together with the multiplex advantages and very high quantum efficiency offered by a CCD detector. While Raman difference spectroscopy is the most accurate method for the detection of very small band shifts, the method requires the strict prevention of any environmental perturbation of one of the two spectra, which are used for the difference spectra calculation. The presented device satisfies this requirement by implementing a double-beam layout, where the simultaneously detected Raman signals of two sample cells are combined within a Y-fiber bundle and imaged together onto the CCD detector. The accuracy of the new apparatus in detecting frequency shifts and minor sample components is greatly increased compared to conventional Raman spectroscopy as shown by studying binary mixtures of CHCl3 and CCl4. Hereby it was possible to resolve a formerly undetected shift of <0.02 cm(-1) of the CCl4 band at 218 cm(-1). The new RDS setup has a very versatile design. The device can take advantage of the high sensitivity and selectivity of the resonance Raman enhancement applying excitation wavelengths from the UV to NIR and can be used for a variety of samples with only minor changes in the optical arrangement. The new device will be of utmost importance for a fast, gentle, sensitive, selective, and precise investigation of biomolecules and their interactions. Some first results are shown concerning the interaction of the antimalarial chloroquine with hematin in a hydrous environment.

Characterization of ferrous FixL-nitric oxide adducts by resonance Raman spectroscopy

Resonance Raman spectra of the nitric oxide adducts of the ferrous forms of two soluble truncations of Rhizobium meliloti FixL, FixL* and FixLN, are reported. At room temperature, four isotope sensitive vibrations are observed for both ferrous FixL*-NO and ferrous FixLN-NO. For FixL*-NO, they are observed at 558, 525, 450, and 1675 cm(-1) and are assigned to v(Fe-NO) of a six-coordinate nitrosyl adduct, v(Fe-NO) of a five-coordinate nitrosyl adduct, delta(Fe-NO) of a six-coordinate nitrosyl adduct, and v(N-O) of a five-coordinate nitrosyl adduct, respectively. Similar frequencies are observed for the FixLN-NO isotope sensitive bands. On the basis of the frequencies and spectral separation of the v(Fe-NO) and delta(Fe-NO) modes, the Fe-N-O unit is concluded to have a bent geometry similar to those observed for the nitrosyl adducts of ferrous hemoglobin and myoglobin. Both proteins can be converted to predominantly five-coordinate nitrosyl adducts by lowering the temperature. In low-temperature resonance Raman spectra of FixL*-NO and FixLN-NO, the 558 cm(-1) bands are significantly decreased in intensity and v(Fe-NO)5-c (the Fe-NO stretching vibration for the five-coordinate nitrosyl adduct) is observed at 529 and 526 cm(-1), respectively. Analysis of the v3 and v8 vibrations for these nitrosyl adducts also supports the presence of both five- and six-coordinate nitrosyl adducts of FixL* and FixLN at room temperature and the conversion to predominantly five-coordinate nitrosyl adducts at low temperatures. This temperature-dependent interconversion is reversible. The possible physiological relevance of the thermally accessible five-coordinate state is discussed. The width of v(Fe-NO)6-c at half-height is 1.3 times broader in FixLN-NO than in FixL*-NO, suggesting that the Fe-N-O geometry is more homogeneous in FixL*-NO. In low-temperature spectra of FixLN-NO, a second v(N-O)5-c band is observed, indicating that more than one conformation is attainable in the five-coordinate FixLN-NO. This second v(N-O)5-c is not observed for five-coordinate FixL*-NO, further suggesting a more conformationally restricted nitrosyl heme in FixL*. These variations in the vibrations involving the Fe-NO unit indicate that the kinase domain influences the heme structure. The spectral differences are discussed in terms of the interdomain interactions that result in ligation-dependent mediation of the kinase activity.

Interactions of water-soluble porphyrins with hexadeoxyribonucleotides: resonance raman, UV-visible and 1H NMR studies

The interactions of the water-soluble porphyrins M(TMpy-P4) [M = H2, Cu(II), Ni(II), and Co(III); TMpy-P4 = tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridyl)porphyrinato ion], with the hexadeoxyribonucleotides d(CGTACG)2, d(TACGTA)2, d(GCATGC)2, d(TGTGCA)2, and d(CTATAG)2 have been investigated by resonance Raman and/or UV-visible spectroscopy. The results indicate that all hexamers containing the 5'CG3' as well as the 5'GC3' site, and also the mismatched hexamer d(TGTGCA)2, are capable of intercalating the H2, Cu(II) and Ni(II) porphyrins. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of d(CGTACG)2 mixed with Cu(TMpy-P4) have provided further evidence for the intercalation. For the other cases, outside binding by localized electrostatic interaction is suggested. There is no evidence of groove binding to any of the hexamers. Possible reasons for different binding properties of long and short helices are discussed.