Development of Far-Infrared Difference Spectroscopy For Studies of Biological Pigment-Protein Complexes

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This award supports the development of an instrument for Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) difference spectroscopic measurement of biological pigment-protein complexes in the 1000-140 cm-1 spectral region. At present few instruments can perform measurements on biological samples below ~1000 cm-1. Instruments that do have sensitivity below ~1000 cm-1 are inherently slow, and measurements typically extend over several days. Here, an instrument will be constructed with sensitivity down to ~140 cm-1, with data acquisition rates at least two orders of magnitude superior to existing instruments. Such an instrument will make far-IR difference measurements of biological samples simpler. The main advance is in the fabrication, testing and incorporation of new fast and sensitive far-infrared detectors into our FTIR instrumentation. Extension of FTIR difference techniques down to ~140 cm-1 is highly desirable as it will open up a window where the bonds between metals and organic ligands (Mn.O, Mg.N, Fe.N, Fe.S), characteristic of a large number of the protein cofactors can be directly investigated.