Applications of Raman Optical Activity to Biomolecular Sciences

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K05756
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Physical chemistry
• Research Institution: Saga University
• Principal Investigator: Unno Masashi 佐賀大学, 理工学部, 教授 (50255428)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 振動分光 / 生物物理 / 光受容タンパク質 / 量子化学計算

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Many biological cofactors, such as light-absorbing chromophores in photoreceptors, are intrinsically planar molecules. A protein environment, however, causes structural distortions of the cofactor, and such structural changes can lead to a modulation of chemical properties of the cofactor to maximize its biological activity. In this project, we have constructed a near-infrared excited Raman optical activity (ROA) spectrometer with a scattered circular polarization scheme. Using this state-of-the-art ROA spectrometer, We found that a hydrogen out-of-plane ROA band provides a spectroscopic ruler for the out-of-plane distortion of the chromophore that is embedded in a protein environment.

Free Research Field

分子分光学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

タンパク質は生体内におけるさまざまな機能に関与しており、生命現象の解明という基礎研究から生体分子の工業的な応用や医療にも関係する極めて重要な生体分子の一つである。従って、タンパク質の活性部位構造を明らかにすることは生命科学における重要な研究課題であり、我々はラマン光学活性分光とよばれる手法を用いることで、色素タンパク質の活性部位構造を解析する新しい研究手段を開発することに成功した。