Time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy of bacteriorhodopsin on the millisecond timescale

A simple technique is described that uses a continuous wave laser with electromechanical modulation to obtain time-resolved Raman spectra of transient species on the millisecond timescale. The time behavior of the vibrational bands of the intermediates involved in the proton pumping of bacteriorhodopsin is determined. From these results, along with resonance enhancement and power dependence studies, the bands that appear in the continuous wave Raman spectrum of bacteriorhodopsin can be assigned to three intermediates in the photochemical cycle of bacteriorhodopsin, bR570, bL550, and bM412. The Raman spectra of bR570 and bM412 are compared with published spectra of model Schiff bases of all-trans and 13-cis retinal.