Photodissociation mechanism of heme protein studied by ultrafast spectroscopy

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K17784
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biological physics/Chemical physics/Soft matter physics
• Research Institution: Kanagawa University
• Principal Investigator: Yabushita Atsushi 神奈川大学, 付置研究所, 客員教授 (20376536)
• Research Collaborator: Iwakura Izumi 神奈川大学 ; Chen Pei-Feng Academia Sinica ; Lo Hsin-Pin National Chiao-Tung University
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 超高速分光 / フェムト秒レーザー / ヘム蛋白 / 光反応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Heme protein plays important roles in vivo; hemoglobin transports oxygen obtained by respiration to produce energy at each part inside of the body, and nitric oxide (NO) generated by NO synthase (NOS) controls blood flow, neurotransmission, and immunity. The primary processes of these functions are triggered by ultrafast dissociation of diatomic molecules from those heme proteins. Despite the importance of the primary process, its detail mechanism is still not been elucidated.
In this project, I have developed my own ultrashort pulse laser system to study the ultrafast primary process, and applying the ultrashort pulse laser, I have elucidated the initial reaction mechanism of NOS.

Free Research Field

超高速分光

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ヘムたんぱく質は生体内で重要な機能を持っており、ヘモグロビンは呼吸で得た酸素を体内に輸送しエネルギーを与え、一酸化窒素合成酵素(NOS)から発生する一酸化窒素(NO)は血流、神経伝達、免疫をコントロールする。これらの機能のトリガーとなる初期過程は分子のヘムたんぱく質からの超高速乖離であり、本研究課題では超短パルスレーザー光源を開発することにより、NOSをはじめ様々な物質の超高速反応メカニズムを明らかにした。