Probing How Counterion Structure and Dynamics Determine Polyelectrolyte Solutions Using EPR Spectroscopy

In this review article, we describe how methods of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy were used to investigate polyion–counterion interactions in polyelectrolyte solutions. This subject is usually treated experimentally by light, X-ray, or neutron scattering techniques. It is shown that a large arsenal of EPR spectroscopic methods–from various sophisticated methods of line shape analysis of continuous-wave EPR, via electron spin echo envelope modulation, nanoscale distance measurements through double electron–electron resonance to high-field pulse EPR–can be used to characterize the intrinsically complicated structures formed in polyelectrolyte solutions. We show that even polymer physical models such as scaling relations can be tested in this way. The distinguishing feature with respect to the numerous scattering studies in this area is that EPR techniques are local methods, and by employing spin-carrying (i.e., EPR-active) probe ions, it is possible to examine polyelectrolytes from the counterions’ point of view.     

面粉中蛋白质二级结构的红外光谱研究

测定了不同温度下面粉蛋白质酰胺Ⅲ带的一维红外光谱,二阶导数红外光谱和去卷积红外光谱。研究发现:随着测定温度的升高,面粉蛋白质中的α-螺旋结构的、β-转角结构、无规卷曲结构和β-折叠结构红外吸收强度均有所增加。进一步研究了面粉蛋白质酰胺Ⅲ带的二维红外光谱。研究发现:随着测定温度的升高,面粉中蛋白质酰胺Ⅲ带的红外吸收强度变化快慢趋势是:1312cm-1(α-螺旋结构)1285cm-1(β-转角结构)1260cm-1(无规卷曲结构)1229cm-1(β-折叠结构)。     

FTIR用于变性蛋白质二级结构的研究进展

蛋白质是最重要的生命物质之一,有关蛋白质的各类研究也是人们比较感兴趣的课题。蛋白质的二级结构在维持蛋白质生理活性过程中发挥着重要的作用。随着科技的发展和研究方法的改进,对变性蛋白质微观结构的研究也越来越深入。近年来,国内外学者利用各种物理和化学方法对其作了大量的工作,而傅里叶红外光谱法(FTIR)以其独特的优越性,在研究蛋白质二级结构中发挥着不可替代的作用。文章就这方面的研究进行了初步概述,重点介绍了变性蛋白质二级结构的红外光谱学研究内容、谱学特点及其分析方法的研究进展。     

Photo-Induced Electron Spin Polarization in Chemical and Biological Reactions: Probing Structure and Dynamics of Transient Intermediates by Multifrequency EPR Spectroscopy

In this minireview, modern multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, in particular, at high magnetic fields, is shown to provide detailed information about structure, motional dynamics and spin chemistry of transient radicals and radical pairs occurring in photochemical reactions. Examples discussed comprise spin-polarized radicals and radical pairs in disordered systems, such as ultraviolet-irradiated quinone and ketone compounds in fluid alcohol solutions, green-light initiated electron transfer in biomimetic porphyrin?Cquinone donor?Cacceptor model systems in frozen solution, aiming at artificial photosynthesis, and red-light initiated electron transfer in natural photosynthetic reaction-center protein complexes. The transient paramagnetic states exhibit characteristic electron polarization (CIDEP) effects originating from a triplet mechanism, a radical-pair mechanism or a correlated coupled radical-pair mechanism. They contain valuable information about structure and dynamics of the short-lived reaction intermediates. Moreover, the CIDEP effects can be exploited for signal enhancement. Continuous-wave and pulsed versions of time-resolved high-field EPR spectroscopy, such as transient EPR and electron spin-echo experiments, are compared with respect to their advantages and limitations for the specific photoreaction under study. Furthermore, orientation resolving W-band pulsed electron-electron double resonance (PELDOR) experiments on the spin-correlated coupled radical pair $ {\text{P}}_{865}^{ \cdot + } $ $ {\text{Q}}_{\text{A}}^{ \cdot - } $ in frozen solution reaction centers from the purple photosynthetic bacterium Rb. sphaeroides reveal details of distance and orientation of the pair partners in their charge-separated transient state. The results are compared with those of the ground-state P₈₆₅Q_A. In conjunction with Q-band proton electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) experiments the W-band PELDOR results provide decisive evidence that the local structure of the Q_A binding site does not change under photoreduction of the quinone??in agreement with earlier FTIR studies. The examples given demonstrate that multifrequency EPR experiments on disordered systems add heavily to the capabilities of ??classical?? spectroscopic and diffraction techniques for determining structure?Cdynamics?Cfunction relations of biochemical processes, since short-lived intermediates can be observed in real time while staying in their working states at biologically relevant time scales.     

使用圆二色性光谱和红外光谱研究冬小麦麸皮抗冻蛋白的二级结构

使用圆二色性光谱和红外光谱技术对冬小麦麸皮抗冻蛋白的二级结构进行了研究。由于冬小麦麸皮抗冻蛋白在酰胺Ⅰ带和Ⅲ带位置中,各个特征峰相互叠加,因此采用Gausse峰型对圆头峰进行拟合、解析,判断其α-helix,β-sheet,β-turn和Random coil的相对含量;同时对圆二色性光谱获得的结构信息,采用按照Chen-Yang原理和最小二乘法编写的程序计算了冬小麦麸皮抗冻蛋白的二级结构。最后,讨论了两种检测方法结果差异的原因,为冬小麦麸皮抗冻蛋白抗冻机理的研究奠定基础。     

Fluorescent Probing of Protein Bovine Serum Albumin Stability and Denaturation Using Polarity Sensitive Spectral Response of a Charge Transfer Probe

The polarity sensitive photo-induced intra-molecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorescence probe (E)-3-(4-methylamino-phenyl)-acrylic acid ethyl ester (MAPAEE) has been used to study the model protein Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) in its native and thermal and urea induced denatured states. The interaction between BSA and the regular surfactant Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS) as well as the biologically relevant steroid-based amphiphile Sodium Deoxycholate (NaDC) has also been very keenly followed using this ICT probe. The variation of micellar properties of both SDS and NaDC with increasing ionic strengths and in presence of the chaotrope urea has also been well documemted by the same probe. Steady-state spectroscopy, FRET, and fluorescence anisotropy measurements have been used to gain better insight into these processes and the molecule MAPAEE to be a full-bodied fluorescent probe for studying such intricate biological systems, their properties and interactions.     

Interaction of Three Electromagnetic Fields with a Resonance Medium in the EPR Region

A system of Bloch equations that were modified with allowance for the presence of a dipole–dipole reservoir is suggested. This system was used to solve the problem of interaction of three fields in the EPR region, from which one field is saturating, another is a probing one, and the third is a combination one resulting from the interaction of the first two fields in a resonance medium. The imaginary and real parts of the system susceptibility at a frequency of the probing field have been studied in detail, at both different frequencies of interacting waves and coinciding ones (degenerate case). For the degenerate case, the frequency dependence of the coefficient of the parametric coupling of waves is also considered. The results of the present work are compared with similar results obtained from the Provotorov and Bloch equations (density matrices) in an optical range, and also with experimental data. The passage of weak waves through a layer of the medium is considered, and the possibility of their amplification in an absorbing medium is shown.     

ATR-FTIR分析冻结—解冻后的牛肉蛋白二级结构变化

研究了牛肉蛋白质二级结构稳定性在-18,-23及-38 ℃不同温度下的变化情况,明确了肉品工业中不同冷冻温度对肉品品质的作用机制。利用了傅里叶变换衰减全反射红外光谱(attenuated total reflectance Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy,ATR-FTIR)技术、自动去卷积以及曲线拟合等计算方法,分析了-18,-23及-38 ℃三个温度下,牛肉肌原纤维蛋白(myofibrillar protein,MP)在冻结—解冻过程中的红外光谱图变化及蛋白质二级结构变性程度。ATR-FTIR结果显示,冻结—解冻过程中牛肉MP红外光谱图峰高、峰面积发生变化,且峰波数发生红移或者蓝移;冻结—解冻后牛肉MP红外光谱图中3 500～3 300 cm-1波段的吸收峰强度减弱甚至消失,说明解冻后牛肉MP中的结合水中O—H基团与氨基酸CO基团形成的分子内和分子间氢键断裂;冻结会影响牛肉MP二级结构的稳定性,导致牛肉蛋白质二级结构发生变化,其中除了无规则卷曲比例上升以外,α-螺旋、β-折叠、β-转角含量均下降,造成有序结构向无序结构转变;解冻后,冻结温度为-38 ℃的处理组牛肉β-折叠增加量大于-23和-18 ℃处理组,-38 ℃冻结牛肉MP二级结构的稳定性最好,解冻后蛋白质复性也最好。即蛋白质冷冻变性程度随着冻结温度的降低而减轻,蛋白质二级结构特征保持也越好。该试验研究基于肉品工业生产实际,研究结果从微观层面揭示了冻结温度对牛肉蛋白质变性的影响规律及可能的机制,为冷冻肉冻藏保鲜工艺制定提供了参考。     

PSⅡ中蛋白二级结构中β聚合效应的红外光谱研究

利用Fourier变换红外光谱（FTIR）方法研究了光系统Ⅱ（PSⅡ）膜颗粒中蛋白二级结构在高温条件下的β聚合效应。具有生物活性和高温蛋白的β聚合样品的红外光谱测量温度均是室温，它们的酰胺Ⅰ吸收带被用来对两种样品的特性进行定量的分析。光谱的分析方法采用了直接Lorentz线型拟合，光谱结果表明光系统Ⅱ二级结构在400℃下发生热变性后，其红外光谱将发生很强的不可逆的变化。但其红外光谱与活性PSⅡ蛋白一样仍可用3个Lorentz线型拟合，显示了FTIR红外光谱方法在研究蛋白热变性方面的优越性。     

EAS心区次级粒子分布涨落的多重分形结构的研究

利用Monte Carlo模拟数据研究了由γ射线和质子引起的空气簇射中的次级粒子在羊八井ARGO实验中的空间分布的不同,并利用G矩分析方法对γ射线和质子簇射的次级粒子在心区附近分布的多重分形性质进行了分析.从γ射线和质子事例的谱函数可以看出,利用这种方法,可以作为区分原初γ射线和质子的依据.结果表明在1—10TeV能区可以较好地区分γ射线和质子.     

Study on Multifractal Structure of the Distribution Fluctuation of Secondary Perticles in the Core Region of EAS

The differences of space distributions and time profiles between the γ-ray and proton induced shower particles are studied using Monte Carlo simulation data. The multifractal analysis is performed with the G-moment method for the distribution fluctuation of secondary particles near the core of showers induced by γ-rays and protons. From the spectrum functions of γ and proton events, it is seen that this method can be adopted as a basis for the γ/proton separation. It is shown that the separation of γ and proton can be achieved with a good efficiency in the energy region of 1—10TeV.     

Dynamic polarization of a nuclear zeeman subsystem within the framework of the EPR spin-temperature concept

In a high-temperature approximation, theoretical consideration is given to dynamic polarization of nuclei within the framework of the EPR spin-temperature concept. We show that the maximum polarization of nuclei can be attained at a certain value of the detuning of an SHF-field if the intensity of the latter is fixed. The possibility of determining some relaxation parameters of the system by the value of this detuning at a high value of the saturating field is shown. In the presence of a trial field, the effect of a nuclear Zeeman subsystem on the time of transverse relaxation T₂ is evaluated. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 67, No. 3, pp. 404–406, May–June, 2000.     

表面增强拉曼光谱对于蛋白质二级结构的酰胺III谱带表征

本文利用斜角沉积法制备银纳米棒阵列基底用于蛋白质二级结构的检测,结合酰胺Ⅲ谱带光谱分析,建立了一种基于表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS)蛋白质二级结构的表征方法.用这种方法获得了两种典型蛋白质(溶菌酶和细胞色素C)的SERS信号.通过分析蛋白质骨架酰胺Ⅲ的光谱,研究了浓度对蛋白质折叠状态的影响.结果表明在一定范围内随着浓度的增加,溶菌酶的α-螺旋结构和β-折叠结构成分增加,而细胞色素C的二级结构基本保持不变.     

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy: Probing the Structure of Multicomponent Polymer Blends

Abstract

Polymer blends may be defined a s physical mixtures of two or more polymers [1]. Conceptually, polymer blends are analogous to metal alloys, materials which date back to the dawn of civilization. In much the same way as the metallurgists sought to improve the chemical and physical properties of metallic materials by mixing various metals, polymer scientists have also employed this technique to produce a wide variety of useful polymeric materials. However, we must be careful not to push this analogy too far. There are many fundamental differences between these two classes of materials.     

EPR和NMR自旋标记法研究部分折叠蛋白质构象

部分折叠蛋白质的特征是在溶液中有部分二级结构,但是三级结构接触比较松散或者较少,其意义可能是蛋白质折叠过程的中间态,或者有重要的生理功能. 利用EPR和NMR波谱可以表征其构象特征,从而构建其二级结构、三级结构、四级结构以及构象变化的结构模型. 利用分子生物学的点突变技术可以在蛋白质主链上插入1个或2个半胱氨酸残基,然后把顺磁自旋标记物特异地共价结合在半胱氨酸的侧链巯基上来制备自旋标记样品. 位点特异性自旋标记电子顺磁共振（SDSL-EPR）波谱是通过测定2个自旋标记间的偶极相互作用,从而推测2个硝基氧自由基间的距离. 核磁共振（NMR）波谱则是通过测定单个自旋标记中心对周围原子核驰豫效应增强（PRE）的效应,推测出顺磁中心相对于周围原子核的距离. 连续波EPR和NMR自旋标记方法可以测定2.5 nm左右的偶极相互作用距离,属于长程的距离约束,这对于确定部分折叠蛋白质的构象至关重要. 该文将就蛋白质部分折叠态研究的生物学意义,自旋标记方法以及EPR和NMR方法研究其构象特征举例描述.     

Probing the Frequency Dispersion of Magnetic Permeability of a Sample during Dynamic Interaction with a Magnetized Probe

Technical Physics - The forces acting on a magnetic particle during nonrelativistic motion parallel to the surface of a homogeneous medium with a frequency dispersion of the magnetic permeability...     

CIDEP Created by the Quenching of Photo-Excited Tryptophan at Protein Surface: A Challenge to CIDEP Probing of Protein Structural Changes

Quenching of the triplet excited state of molecular tryptophan by nitroxide radical in 1,4-dioxane and water solutions was investigated by means of time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Fourier-transform (FT)-EPR. The chemically induced dynamic electron polarization (CIDEP) signals with net emissive phase were recorded at these quenching events and were analyzed through radical-triplet pair mechanism. The CIDEP time profiles were well reproduced by Bloch and kinetic equations, assuming radical-triplet pair mechanism with the appropriate quenching rate constants. From a comparison of the simulation and the experiment, CIDEP enhancement factor in 1,4-dioxane was determined to be −30 × P _eq, where P _eq is the spin polarization of nitroxide at thermal equilibrium. Net emissive CIDEP was also observed by FT-EPR measurements on the nitroxide quenching of the triplet excited state of tryptophan residue in α-lactalbumin. Magnitude of CIDEP created in α-lactalbumin/nitroxide system depends on the pH condition of α-lactalbumin solution, which is related to protein folding dynamics. We argue the CIDEP mechanism at the α-lactalbumin surface and propose a possibility of a novel CIDEP method to probe a protein surface and structural changes.     

EPR of Cu2+ Impurities in Cytosine Hydrochloride: A Case of Superhyperfine Structure

Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of Cu²⁺ impurities in cytosine hydrochloride single crystals are observed at liquid nitrogen temperature. Two magnetically equivalent sites for Cu²⁺ have been observed. The parameters of ⁶³Cu obtained with the fitting of spectra to rhombic symmetry spin Hamiltonian are: g _x  = 2.047 ± 0.002, g _y  = 2.187 ± 0.002, g _z  = 2.390 ± 0.002, A _x  = (86 ± 3) × 10^?4 cm^?1, A _y  = (87 ± 3) × 10^?4 cm^?1, and A _z  = (138 ± 3) × 10^?4 cm^?1. The observed bands in optical spectra of the single crystal recorded at room temperature are assigned to various d–d and charge-transfer transitions. Using both EPR and optical data, the nature of bonding of metal ion with different ligands is discussed.