Introduction To The Spectroscopy Of Biological Polymers

Investigation of the structure and function of biological molecules through spectroscopic methods is a field rich in revealing, clever techniques and demanding experiments. It is most gratifying to see that the basic concepts are applied to more and more complex systems, making feasible the study of the behaviour of whole systems in relation to molecular disturbances. The analytical potential of spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging enables species identification of bacteria and tissue recognition. Clear opportunities for in vivo applications become apparent in the medical field. The methods developed in biophysics start to generate spin-off in the direction of biotechnology, where in previous years we have seen this happen for biochemical techniques. New directions are manifest. Tools are being developed to investigate the behaviour of single molecules in interaction with their environment. Individual interactions can now be investigated and individual molecules in complexes can be visualized. Processes that were previously unobservable as a result of ensemble averaging can now be investigated on a single molecule level. Completely new information with regard to molecular behaviour is obtained in this way. The insights amaze us and the prospect that this development will continue is exciting. The 8th European Conference on the Spectroscopy of Biological Molecules is proud to have contributed to the dissemination of these new directions. This proceedings book is an appropriate reflection of the progress obtained so far in the spectroscopy of biological molecules.

Used primarily for characterizing polymers and biological systems, vibrational spectroscopy continues to uncover structural information pertinent to a growing number of applications. Vibrational Spectroscopy of Biological and Polymeric Materials compiles the latest developments in advanced infrared and Raman spectroscopic techniques that are

This book has grown out of several courses oflectures held at the University of Mainz in the years 1978 to 1981, at the Ecole Poly technique Federal, Lausanne, and at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. The last two courses were held in the framework of the "3e Cycle" lectures in June 1981. According to this genesis, the emphasis of the book lies on a unified and concise approach to introducing polymer spectroscopy rather than on completeness which, by the way, could hardly be achieved in a single volume. In contrast to other books on this subject, equal weight is given to electronic spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy and spin resonance techniques. The electronic properties of polymers have been increasingly investigated in the last ten years; until recently, however, these studies and the spectroscopic methods applied have not generally been considered as part of polymer spectroscopy. The increasing use of electronic spectroscopy by polymer researchers, on the other hand, shows that this type of spectroscopy provides efficient tools for gaining insight into the properties of polymers which cannot be obtained by any other means.

‘‘Biopolymers’’ are polymeric materials of biological origin, including globular, membrane, and fibrous proteins, polypeptides, nucleic acids, po- saccharides, lipids, etc. and their assembly, although preference to respe- ive subjects may be different among readers who are more interested in their biological significance or industrial and/or medical applications. Nevert- less, characterizing or revealing their secondary structure and dynamics may be an equally very important and useful issue for both kinds of readers. Special interest in revealing the 3D structure of globular proteins, nucleic acids, and peptides was aroused in relation to the currently active Structural Biology. X-ray crystallography and multidimensional solution NMR sp- troscopy have proved to be the standard and indispensable means for this purpose. There remain, however, several limitations to this end, if one intends to expand its scope further. This is because these approaches are not always straightforward to characterize fibrous or membrane proteins owing to extreme difficulty in crystallization in the former, and insufficient spectral resolution due to sparing solubility or increased effective molecular mass in the presence of surrounding lipid bilayers in the latter.

As a spectroscopic method, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) has seen spectacular growth over the past two decades, both as a technique and in its applications. Today the applications of NMR span a wide range of scientific disciplines, from physics to biology to medicine. Each volume of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance comprises a combination of annual and biennial reports which together provide comprehensive of the literature on this topic. This Specialist Periodical Report reflects the growing volume of published work involving NMR techniques and applications, in particular NMR of natural macromolecules which is covered in two reports: "NMR of Proteins and Acids" and "NMR of Carbohydrates, Lipids and Membranes". For those wanting to become rapidly acquainted with specific areas of NMR, this title provides unrivalled scope of coverage. Seasoned practitioners of NMR will find this an in valuable source of current methods and applications. Specialist Periodical Reports provide systematic and detailed review coverage in major areas of chemical research. Compiled by teams of leading authorities in the relevant subject areas, the series creates a unique service for the active research chemist, with regular, in-depth accounts of progress in particular fields of chemistry. Subject coverage within different volumes of a given title is similar and publication is on an annual or biennial basis.

Annotation As a spectroscopic method, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) has seen spectacular growth over the past two decades, both as a technique and in its applications. Today the applications of NMR span a wide range of scientific disciplines, from physics to biology to medicine. Each volume of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance comprises a combination of annual and biennial reports which together provide comprehensive of the literature on this topic. This Specialist Periodical Report reflects the growing volume of published work involving NMR techniques and applications, in particular NMR of natural macromolecules which is covered in two reports: "NMR of Proteins and Acids" and "NMR of Carbohydrates, Lipids and Membranes". For those wanting to become rapidly acquainted with specific areas of NMR, this title provides unrivalled scope of coverage. Seasoned practitioners of NMR will find this an in valuable source of current methods and applications. Specialist Periodical Reports provide systematic and detailed review coverage in major areas of chemical research. Compiled by teams of leading authorities in the relevant subject areas, the series creates a unique service for the active research chemist, with regular, in-depth accounts of progress in particular fields of chemistry. Subject coverage within different volumes of a given title is similar and publication is on an annual or biennial basis.

This revised and updated Second Edition of the best-selling reference/text is essential reading for students and scientists who seek a thorough and practical introduction to the field of polymer spectroscopy. Eleven chapters cover the fundamental aspects and experimental applications of the primary spectroscopic methods. The advantages and disadvantages of the various techniques for particular polymer systems are also discussed. The goal of the author is not to make the reader an expert in the field, but rather to provide enough information about the different spectroscopic methods that the reader can determine how the available techniques can be used to solve a particular polymer problem. This Second Edition contains new and updated information on techniques in IR and NMR, as well as an all-new chapter on Mass Spectrometry.