Home > Press > Chirality in 'real-time'
 |
| An illustration of chirality in a molecule. CREDIT M. Oppermann, EPFL |
Abstract:
In nature, certain molecules with the same chemical composition, can exist in two different shapes that are mirrors images of each other, much like our hands. This property is known as "chirality" and molecules with different chirality are called enantiomers. Enantiomers can exhibit entirely different chemical or biological properties, and separating them is a major issue in drug development and in medicine.
Chirality in 'real-time'
Lausanne, Switzerland | Posted on January 14th, 2019The method commonly used to detect enantiomers is circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. It exploits the fact that light polarized into a circular wave (like a whirlpool) is absorbed differently by left-handed and right-handed enantiomers. Steady-state CD spectroscopy is a major structural tool in (bio)chemical analysis.
During their function, biomolecules undergo structural changes that affect their chiral properties. Probing these in real-time (i.e. between 1 picosecond and 1 nanosecond) provides a view of their biological function, but this has been challenging in the deep-UV spectrum (wavelengths below 300 nm) where most biologically relevant molecules such as amino acids, DNA and peptide helices absorb light.
The limitations are due to the lack of adequate sources of pulsed light and of sensitive detection schemes. But now, the group of Majed Chergui at the Lausanne Centre for Ultrafast Science (EPFL) has developed a setup that allows the visualization of the chiral response of (bio)molecules by CD spectroscopy with a resolution of 0.5 picoseconds.
The setup uses a photoelastic modulator, which is an optical device that can control the polarization of light. In this system, the modulator permits shot-to-shot polarization switching of a 20 kHz femtosecond pulse train in the deep-UV range (250-370 nm). It is then possible to record changes in the chirality of molecules at variable time-delays after they are excited with a short laser pulse.
"Amino acid residues and DNA bases absorb light below 300 nm," says Malte Oppermann, the paper's first author. "This set-up is the first to cover this region, and we successfully tested it on a model molecular system. Our next aim is to move on to larger biosystems, like DNA oligomers."
###
Other contributors
University of Geneva
University of Zurich
####
For more information, please click here
Contacts:
Nik Papageorgiou
41-216-932-105
Copyright © Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
If you have a comment, please Contact us.Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.
Bookmark:
| Related Links |
| Related News Press |
News and information
Improving quantum computers April 19th, 2019
A light-activated remote control for cells April 17th, 2019
NEXUS 2019: Global Summit on Energy Materials and Green Nanotechnology April 16th, 2019
Imaging
New microscopy method provides more details about nanocomposites April 12th, 2019
2D gold quantum dots are atomically tunable with nanotubes April 11th, 2019
2D borophene gets a closer look: Rice, Northwestern find new ways to image, characterize unique material April 11th, 2019
Chemistry
Russian physicists obtained data on particles self-organization in ultracold dusty plasma March 29th, 2019
Chemicals induce dipoles to damp plasmons: Rice University-led study finds molecules alter gold nanoparticles' electronic properties March 22nd, 2019
Possible Futures
Improving quantum computers April 19th, 2019
A light-activated remote control for cells April 17th, 2019
Nanomedicine
A light-activated remote control for cells April 17th, 2019
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Receives FDA Clearance to Begin Phase 2/3 Study of ARO-AAT for Treatment of Alpha-1 Liver Disease April 15th, 2019
Arrowhead Presents Clinical Data on JNJ-3989 (ARO-HBV) at The International Liver Congress™ April 12th, 2019
Discoveries
A light-activated remote control for cells April 17th, 2019
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Receives FDA Clearance to Begin Phase 2/3 Study of ARO-AAT for Treatment of Alpha-1 Liver Disease April 15th, 2019
New microscopy method provides more details about nanocomposites April 12th, 2019
Announcements
Improving quantum computers April 19th, 2019
A light-activated remote control for cells April 17th, 2019
NEXUS 2019: Global Summit on Energy Materials and Green Nanotechnology April 16th, 2019
Tools
New microscopy method provides more details about nanocomposites April 12th, 2019
2D gold quantum dots are atomically tunable with nanotubes April 11th, 2019
Nanometrics to Announce First Quarter Financial Results on April 30, 2019 April 10th, 2019
Izon Science heralds a new era in exosome isolation April 2nd, 2019
Research partnerships
2D borophene gets a closer look: Rice, Northwestern find new ways to image, characterize unique material April 11th, 2019
'Deep learning' casts wide net for novel 2D materials: Rice U. engineers show faster techniques to model atom-flat materials for bottom-up design April 10th, 2019
Squeezed nanocrystals: A new model predicts their shape when blanketed under graphene April 5th, 2019
 |
||
 |
||
| The latest news from around the world, FREE | ||
 |
||
|
|
||
| Premium Products | ||
 |
||
|
Only the news you want to read!
Learn More |
||
 |
||
|
Full-service, expert consulting
Learn More |
||
|
|
||