0000000000666748
AUTHOR
A Perucchi
Raman analysis of insulin denaturation induced by high-pressure and thermal treatments
Raman spectroscopy has been used to investigate different conformational states of bovine pancreatic insulin: the native form and several structurally modified states with different extent of denaturation induced by thermo-chemical treatment and by applying very high pressure (up to 8 GPa) using a diamond anvil cell. High-pressure results confirm the peculiar strength to volume compression of insulin and largely extend the pressure range of its structural stability (0-4.2 GPa). Above 4.2 GPa, insulin undergoes an irreversible structural transition that, once pressure is released, leaves the sample in a new conformational state. The protein secondary structure after the pressure treatment re…
Terahertz Absorption change in Photosynthetic Reaction Center upon photoactivation
Photosynthetic reaction center is a membrane protein which plays an important role in converting solar energy into chemical energy. Upon continuous illumination a charge separation occurs within the protein which is stable for several seconds [1]. The stability of this state is very important to protect the protein against the release of excess heat and an instable radical due to charge recombination. Absorption of terahertz radiation corresponds to the excitation of large vibrations in the protein and is thus suitable for studying its different dynamical states. Here we recorded terahertz absorption spectra of the dark and illuminated state of reaction centre from the purple membrane bacte…