High-field electron spin resonance of spin labels in membranes.
High-field electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy is currently undergoing rapid development. This considerably increases the versatility of spin labelling which, at conventional field strengths, is already well established as a powerful physical technique in membrane biology. Among the unique advantages offered by high-field spectroscopy, particularly for spin-labelled lipids, are sensitivity to non-axial rotation and lateral ordering, a better orientational selection, an extended application to rotational dynamics, and an enhanced sensitivity to environmental polarity. These areas are treated in some depth, along with a detailed consideration of recent developments in the investigation of transmembrane polarity profiles.
Marsh
Derek
D
Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Abteilung Spektroskopie, Göttingen 37070, Germany. dmarsh@gwdg.de
Kurad
Dieter
D
Livshits
Vsevolod A
VA
D000818:Animals; D016880:Anisotropy; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D004058:Diffusion; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D013113:Spin Labels
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D013113:Spin Labels