Probing cytochrome c in living mitochondria with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

ABSTRACT: Selective study of the electron transport chain components in living mitochondria is essential for fundamental biophysical research and for the development of new medical diagnostic methods. However, many important details of inter- and intramembrane mitochondrial processes have remained in shadow due to the lack of non-invasive techniques. Here we suggest a novel label-free approach based on the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to monitor the redox state and conformation of cytochrome c in the electron transport chain in living mitochondria. We demonstrate that SERS spectra of living mitochondria placed on hierarchically structured silver-ring substrates provide exclusive information about cytochrome c behavior under modulation of inner mitochondrial membrane potential, proton g

SUBMITTER: Brazhe NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4561893 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature