Vibrational Raman optical activity of biological molecules

Advances in Raman optical activity (ROA) instrumentation based on the employment of a backscattering geometry together with a cooled backthinned CCD detector, a holographic notch filter, and a high-efficiency single-grating spectrograph have now enhanced the sensitivity to the level necessary to provide vibrational ROA spectra of most biological molecules in aqueous solution. Results on peptides and proteins show features originating in coupled C (alpha )-H and N-H deformations of the peptide backbone which appear to be sensitive to the secondary conformation including loop and turn structures. Also carbohydrates show many features characteristic of the central aspects of carbohydrate architecture, with effects from the glycosidic link in oligosaccharides particularly prominent. Preliminary ROA spectra of pyrimidine nucleosides appear to reflect the mutual orientation of the sugar and base rings and the dominant furanose conformations.