Hauke Paulsen

Vibrational spectrum of the spin crossover complex [Fe(phen)2(NCS)2] studied by IR and Raman spectroscopy, nuclear inelastic scattering and DFT calculations

The vibrational modes of the low-spin and high-spin isomers of the spin crossover complex [Fe(phen)(2)(NCS)(2)] (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) have been measured by IR and Raman spectroscopy and by nuclear inelastic scattering. The vibrational frequencies and normal modes and the IR and Raman intensities have been calculated by density functional methods. The vibrational entropy difference between the two isomers, DeltaS(vib), which is--together with the electronic entropy difference DeltaS(el)--the driving force for the spin-transition, has been determined from the measured and from the calculated frequencies. The calculated difference (DeltaS(vib) = 57-70 J mol(-1) K(-1), depending on the method) is in qualitative agreement with experimental values (20-36 J mol(-1) K(-1)). Only the low energy vibrational modes (20% of the 147 modes of the free molecule) contribute to the entropy difference and about three quarters of the vibrational entropy difference are due to the 15 modes of the central FeN(6) octahedron.

High-spin to low-spin relaxation kinetics in the [Fe(TRIM)2]Cl2 complex

A quasi-quantitative photo-induced low-spin (LS)-->high-spin (HS) conversion of FeII ions has been observed in the [Fe(TRIM)2]Cl2 complex by irradiating the sample with blue light (488 nm) at 10 K. The time dependence of the HS-->LS relaxation has been studied between 10 K and 44 K by means of magnetic susceptibility measurements. These relaxation curves could be satisfactorily fitted by mono-exponential decays including tunnelling effect except for temperatures below 30 K. The introduction of a distribution of vibrational frequencies into this model improved significantly the fits in the low-temperature range and gave a good agreement with the experimental data in the whole temperature range suggesting a multi-rate relaxation process in this complex.

Nuclear Inelastic Scattering and Mössbauer Spectroscopy as Local Probes for Ligand Binding Modes and Electronic Properties in Proteins: Vibrational Behavior of a Ferriheme Center Inside a β-Barrel Protein

In this work, we present a study of the influence of the protein matrix on its ability to tune the binding of small ligands such as NO, cyanide (CN(-)), and histamine to the ferric heme iron center in the NO-storage and -transport protein Nitrophorin 2 (NP2) from the salivary glands of the blood-sucking insect Rhodnius prolixus. Conventional Mössbauer spectroscopy shows a diamagnetic ground state of the NP2-NO complex and Type I and II electronic ground states of the NP2-CN(-) and NP2-histamine complex, respectively. The change in the vibrational signature of the protein upon ligand binding has been monitored by Nuclear Inelastic Scattering (NIS), also called Nuclear Resonant Vibrational Spectroscopy (NRVS). The NIS data thus obtained have also been calculated by quantum mechanical (QM) density functional theory (DFT) coupled with molecular mechanics (MM) methods. The calculations presented here show that the heme ruffling in NP2 is a consequence of the interaction with the protein matrix. Structure optimizations of the heme and its ligands with DFT retain the characteristic saddling and ruffling only if the protein matrix is taken into account. Furthermore, simulations of the NIS data by QM/MM calculations suggest that the pH dependence of the binding of NO, but not of CN(-) and histamine, might be a consequence of the protonation state of the heme carboxyls.

Estimate of the vibrational contribution to the entropy change associated with the spin transition in the d4 systems [MnIII(pyrol)3tren] and [CrII(depe)2I2]

The vibrational contribution to DeltaS of the low-spin ((3)T(1)) to high-spin ((5)E) spin transition in two 3d(4) octahedral systems [Mn(III)(pyrol)(3)tren] and [Cr(depe)(2)I(2)] have been estimated by means of DFT calculations (B3LYP/CEP-31G) of the vibrational normal-modes frequencies. The obtained value at the transition temperature for the Mn(iii) complex is DeltaS(vib)(44 K) = 6.3 J K(-1) mol(-1), which is comparable with the proposed Jahn-Teller contribution of R ln3 = 9.1 J K(-1) mol(-1) and which is approximately half of the experimentally determined 13.8 J K(-1) mol(-1). The corresponding value for the Cr(ii) complex is DeltaS(vib)(171.45 K) = 46.5 J K(-1) mol(-1), as compared to the experimental value of 39.45 J K(-1) mol(-1). The analysis of the vibrational normal modes reveals that for the d(4) systems under study, contrary to Fe(ii) d(6) systems, not all metal-ligand stretching vibrations make a contribution. For the Mn(iii) complex, the only vibration that contributes to DeltaS(vib) involve the nitrogens occupying the Jahn-Teller axis, while in the case of Cr(ii) the contributing vibrations involve the Cr-I bonds. Low-frequency modes due to ring vibrations, metal-ligand bending and movement of the molecule as a whole also contribute to the vibrational entropy associated with the spin transition.

The cysteine-rich region of type VII collagen is a cystine knot with a new topology.

Background: Type VII collagen is essential for skin stability as highlighted by related skin blistering diseases. Results: A fusion protein comprising the cysteine-rich region and parts of the flanking domains forms a trimer upon oxidization. Conclusion: The cysteine-rich region is an N-terminal cystine knot with novel topology. Significance: The cystine knot is also found in type IX collagen, indicating a general principle. Collagens are a group of extracellular matrix proteins with essential functions for skin integrity. Anchoring fibrils are made of type VII collagen (Col7) and link different skin layers together: the basal lamina and the underlying connective tissue. Col7 has a central collagenous domain and two noncollagenous domains located at the N and C terminus (NC1 and NC2), respectively. A cysteine-rich region of hitherto unknown function is located at the transition of the NC1 domain to the collagenous domain. A synthetic model peptide of this region was investigated by CD and NMR spectroscopy. The peptide folds into a collagen triple helix, and the cysteine residues form disulfide bridges between the different strands. The eight cystine knot topologies that are characterized by exclusively intermolecular disulfide bridges have been analyzed by molecular modeling. Two cystine knots are energetically preferred; however, all eight disulfide bridge arrangements are essentially possible. This novel cystine knot is present in type IX collagen, too. The conserved motif of the cystine knot is CX3CP. The cystine knot is N-terminal to the collagen triple helix in both collagens and therefore probably impedes unfolding of the collagen triple helix from the N terminus.

NUCLEAR RESONANT SCATTERING AND MOLECULAR ORBITAL CALCULATIONS ON AN IRON(II) SPIN-CROSSOVER COMPLEX

Nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation was applied to investigate the spin‐crossover complex Fe(tpa)(NCS)2 (tpa=tris(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine). The nuclear forward scattering experiments are compared with conventional Mössbauer experiments, and the nuclear inelastic scattering experiments are compared with the results from a theoretical normal mode analysis based on molecular orbital calculations.

Mössbauer studies of the vibrational anisotropy and of light-induced metastable states in single-crystalline guanidinium nitroprusside

Mössbauer studies in the energy and time domain were performed on single crystals of guanidinium nitroprusside with different orientations of their crystallographic a-, b- and c-axes with respect to the incident radiation. A remarkable anisotropy of the Lamb-Mössbauer factor is observed. Metastable states of the nitroprusside anion were populated by means of incoherent irradiation from light-emitting diodes. Calculated hyperfine parameters for the ground state and for the excited states have been retrieved from density functional calculations.

Interpretation of Nuclear Resonant Vibrational Spectra of Rubredoxin Using a Combined Quantum Mechanics and Molecular Mechanics Approach

Nuclear resonant vibrational spectra of the reduced and oxidized form of a mutant of rubredoxin from Pyrococcus abyssii were measured and are compared with simulated spectra that were calculated by a combined quantum mechanics (QM) and molecular mechanics (MM) method. Density functional theory was used for the QM level. Calculations were performed for different models of rubredoxin. Realistic spectra were simulated with reduced models that include at least the iron center, the four cysteins coordinating it, and the residues connected to the cysteins together with a QM layer that comprises the first two coordination shells of the iron center. Larger QM layers did not lead to significant changes of the simulated spectra.

Mössbauer spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation: a new technique entering biological inorganic chemistry

Abstract Nuclear resonant forward scattering (NFS) of synchrotron radiation was employed as Mossbauer spectroscopy in the time domain only recently, while conventional Mossbauer spectroscopy in the energy domain is widely applied since its discovery in 1958. Experimental setup and theoretical background required for NFS are explained, and examples are given for detecting quadrupole splitting, isomer shift, thickness effect and magnetic hyperfine interaction. Nuclear inelastic scattering provides the possibility to detect molecular vibrations.

Single molecule FRET investigation of pressure-driven unfolding of cold shock protein A

We demonstrate that fused silica capillaries are suitable for single molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) measurements at high pressure with an optical quality comparable to the measurement on microscope coverslips. Therefore, we optimized the imaging conditions in a standard square fused silica capillary with an adapted arrangement and evaluated the performance by imaging the focal volume, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy benchmarks, and FRET measurements. We demonstrate single molecule FRET measurements of cold shock protein A unfolding at a pressure up to 2000 bars and show that the unfolded state exhibits an expansion almost independent of pressure.