Analysis of surface laser trapping-induced crystallization of proteins via optically induced liquid-liquid phase separation by microspectroscopy

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K13715
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Analytical chemistry
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Miura Atsushi 北海道大学, 理学研究院, 准教授 (90379553)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: レーザー捕捉 / 結晶化 / タンパク質 / 顕微分光 / 光圧

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have demonstrated laser-induced rapid and effective crystallization and crystal growth of protein molecules by focusing the trapping laser to the air-solution interface of protein solutions. When trapping laser was focused to the air-solution interface, hen egg white lysozyme solution showed huge two dimensional assembly formation, dense liquid droplets formation due to the liquid-liquid phase separation after turning-off the laser irradiation, and rapid crystal formation and its growth. Confocal Raman and polarized Raman spectroscopy under trapping laser irradiation revealed that lysozyme concentration became more than 10 times higher than starting solution and ordered orientation of lysozyme molecules under photon pressure. In ferritin case, we could induce real-time crystallization of this protein under trapping laser irradiation from the focal spot.

Free Research Field

化学