Controlled modification of biomolecules by ultrashort laser pulses in polar liquids.

ABSTRACT: Targeted chemical modification of peptides and proteins by laser pulses in a biologically relevant environment, i.e. aqueous solvent at room temperature, allows for accurate control of biological processes. However, the traditional laser methods of control of chemical reactions are applicable only to a small class of photosensitive biomolecules because of strong and ultrafast perturbations from biomolecule-solvent interactions. Here, we report excitation of harmonics of vibration modes of solvent molecules by femtosecond laser pulses to produce controlled chemical modifications of non-photosensitive peptides and proteins in polar liquids under room conditions. The principal modifications included lysine formylation and methionine sulfoxidation both of which occur with nearly 100% yield und

SUBMITTER: Gruzdev V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5514113 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature