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Phosphate vibrations probe local electric fields and hydration in biomolecules.

ABSTRACT: The role of electric fields in important biological processes such as binding and catalysis has been studied almost exclusively by computational methods. Experimental measurements of the local electric field in macromolecules are possible using suitably calibrated vibrational probes. Here we demonstrate that the vibrational transitions of phosphate groups are highly sensitive to an electric field and show how that sensitivity can be quantified, allowing electric field measurements to be made in phosphate-containing biological systems without chemical modification.

SUBMITTER: Levinson NM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3161143 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Phosphate vibrations probe local electric fields and hydration in biomolecules.

Levinson Nicholas M NM Bolte Erin E EE Miller Carrie S CS Corcelli Steven A SA Boxer Steven G SG

Journal of the American Chemical Society 20110810 34

The role of electric fields in important biological processes such as binding and catalysis has been studied almost exclusively by computational methods. Experimental measurements of the local electric field in macromolecules are possible using suitably calibrated vibrational probes. Here we demonstrate that the vibrational transitions of phosphate groups are highly sensitive to an electric field and show how that sensitivity can be quantified, allowing electric field measurements to be made in ...[more]

PMID: 21809829

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