Fingerprint IR spectroscopy to probe amino acid conformations in the gas phase.
We report the infrared (IR) absorption spectra of different conformational isomers of gas phase amino acid molecules in the molecular fingerprint region of 330-1500 cm(-1). The IR absorption spectra for three conformers of the amino acid tryptophan show absorption bands that uniquely identify the conformational structure of the molecule and that are well matched by density functional theory calculations. The present observations hold great promise for future identification of conformational folding of larger molecules by means of their IR absorption characteristics.
Bakker
Joost M
JM
FOM-Institute for Plasmaphysics Rijnhuizen, Edisonbaan 14, NL-3439 MN Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
Aleese
Luke Mac
LM
Meijer
Gerard
G
von Helden
Gert
G
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D005740:Gases; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared / Q000379:methods*
D000596:Amino Acids; D005740:Gases