Dresden 2011 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 8: Posters: Protein Structure \& Dynamics

BP 8.8: Poster

Montag, 14. März 2011, 17:15–20:00, P3

Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy on Membrane Proteins — •Elmar Hassan Hubrich, Kenichi Ataka, and Joachim Heberle — Free University of Berlin, Department of Physics, Exp. Molecular Biophysics, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin, Germany

Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) combines high spatial resolution of atomic force microscopy (AFM) with structural sensitivity of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Using a gold-coated AFM tip, it is possible to measure Raman signals with high spatial resolution (∼30 nm).

The AFM allows imaging, measuring (e.g.: single-molecule force microscopy), and manipulating matter at the nanoscale. The information is gathered by “feeling” the surface with a mechanical probe.

Raman spectroscopy provides information about the molecular structure of proteins. In order to detect monolayer we use surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The SERS signal is enhanced in the vicinity of (usually) silver- or gold-coated surfaces (up to a factor of 10⁹⁻¹² compared to conventional Raman).

Up to now, this novel technique is mainly applied to surfaces modified with inorganic samples. However, TERS is a promising tool in investigation of membrane proteins since single molecules could be studied at atomic level by Raman spectroscopy under native biological conditions.

Here, we introduce the experimental setup and discuss the application of TERS to the investigation of membrane proteins.