Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
05:54
Author Spotlight: Non-Invasive Imaging of Complex Bio-Structures Using Polarization-Sensitive Two-Photon Microscopy
Published on: September 8, 2023
1.8K
Raman fingerprints of amyloid structures
Jessica D Flynn1, Jennifer C Lee
1Laboratory of Protein Conformation and Dynamics, Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. leej4@mail.nih.gov.
Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England)
|May 19, 2018
Summary
Raman microspectroscopy differentiated pathological and functional amyloid fibrils based on their structure. This technique identified distinct molecular arrangements within amyloid fibrils, revealing structural heterogeneity.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Biochemistry
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Amyloid fibrils are protein aggregates implicated in various diseases.
- Understanding the structural differences between pathological and functional amyloids is crucial for disease mechanism studies.
- Existing methods may not fully resolve the structural heterogeneity within amyloid fibrils.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate structural differences between pathological and functional amyloid fibrils.
- To explore the capability of Raman microspectroscopy in characterizing amyloid structures.
- To identify distinct molecular arrangements within amyloid fibrils.
Main Methods:
- Raman microspectroscopy was employed to analyze amyloid fibril structures.
- Second-derivative analysis of amide-I and amide-III bands was performed.
- Spatially resolved Raman spectra were acquired to assess molecular heterogeneity.
Main Results:
- Distinct spectral features were observed between pathological and functional amyloid fibrils.
- Second-derivative analysis successfully distinguished between parallel in-register β-sheets and β-solenoid structures.
- Spatially resolved spectra demonstrated molecular heterogeneity within amyloid fibril samples.
Conclusions:
- Raman microspectroscopy is a powerful tool for differentiating amyloid fibril structures.
- The study reveals distinct structural characteristics of pathological versus functional amyloids.
- Amyloid structures exhibit significant molecular heterogeneity, impacting their function and pathology.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
03:03Amyloid Fibrils
12.0K
Amyloid fibrils are aggregates of misfolded proteins. Under most circumstances, misfolded proteins are either refolded by chaperone proteins or degraded by the proteasome. However, in the case of a mutation or a disease, these proteins can accumulate to form large clusters and often further assemble to form elongated fibers, called fibrils.
Amyloid deposits were observed as early as 1639 in the liver and the spleen. In 1854, Rudolph Virchow performed iodine staining,...
Amyloid deposits were observed as early as 1639 in the liver and the spleen. In 1854, Rudolph Virchow performed iodine staining,...
12.0K
03:03Amyloid Fibrils
6.5K
6.5K
01:03IR Frequency Region: Fingerprint Region
2.0K
IR spectra are divided into two main regions: the diagnostic region and the fingerprint region. The diagnostic region of the spectrum lies above 1500 cm−1. The absorptions resulting from single-bond vibrations of the N–H, C–H, and O–H stretch at higher wavenumbers and appear on the left side of the spectrum. The stretching absorptions of the C≡C and C≡N occur between 2100–2300 cm−1. In contrast, those arising from stretching absorptions of the...
2.0K
01:20Raman Spectroscopy: Overview
1.8K
The underlying principle of Raman spectroscopy is based on the interaction between light and matter, specifically molecules' inelastic scattering of photons. When a monochromatic beam of light, typically from a laser source, interacts with a sample, most scattered light has the same frequency as the incident light. This is known as Rayleigh scattering.
However, a small fraction of the scattered light exhibits a frequency shift due to the exchange of energy between the incident photons and...
However, a small fraction of the scattered light exhibits a frequency shift due to the exchange of energy between the incident photons and...
1.8K
01:26Raman Spectroscopy Instrumentation: Overview
1.4K
A conventional Raman spectrophotometer includes a laser source, a sample holding system, a wavelength selector, and a detector.
The monochromatic laser source, typically using visible or near-infrared radiation, generates a highly focused beam of light. This light interacts with the molecules of the sample, scattering some of the light. Liquid and gaseous samples are usually tested in ordinary glass capillaries, while solids can be analyzed as powders packed in capillaries or as potassium...
The monochromatic laser source, typically using visible or near-infrared radiation, generates a highly focused beam of light. This light interacts with the molecules of the sample, scattering some of the light. Liquid and gaseous samples are usually tested in ordinary glass capillaries, while solids can be analyzed as powders packed in capillaries or as potassium...
1.4K
02:22Structures of Solids
18.0K
Solids in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite repeating pattern are known as crystalline solids. Metals and ionic compounds typically form ordered, crystalline solids. A crystalline solid has a precise melting temperature because each atom or molecule of the same type is held in place with the same forces or energy. Amorphous solids or non-crystalline solids (or, sometimes, glasses) which lack an ordered internal structure and are randomly arranged. Substances that...
18.0K