13 Spectroscopic techniques: II Structure and interactions
A. HOFMANN
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Infrared and Raman spectroscopy
13.3 Surface plasmon resonance
13.4 Electron paramagnetic resonance
13.5 Nuclear magnetic resonance
13.6 X-ray diffraction
13.7 Small-angle scattering
13.8 Suggestions for further reading
13.1 INTRODUCTION
The overarching theme of techniques such as mass spectrometry (Chapter 9), electron
microscopy and imaging (Chapter 4), analytical centrifugation (Chapter 3) and
molecular exclusion chromatography (Chapter 11) is the aim to obtain clues about
the structure of biomolecules and larger assemblies thereof. The spectroscopic techni-
ques discussed in Chapters 12 and 13 are further complementary methods, and by
assembling the jigsaw of pieces of information, one can gain a comprehensive picture
of the structure of the biological object under study. In addition, the spectroscopic
principles established in Chapter 12 are often employed as read-out in a huge variety
of biochemical assays, and several more sophisticated technologies employ these basic
principles in a ‘hidden’ way.
In the previous chapter, we established that the electromagnetic spectrum is a
continuum of frequencies from the long wavelength region of the radio frequencies
to the high-energyg-rays of nuclear origin. While the methods and techniques
discussed in Chapter 12 concentrated on the use of visible and UV light, there are
other spectroscopic techniques that employ electromagnetic radiation of higher as
well as lower energy. Another shared property of the techniques in this chapter is the
higher level of complexity in undertaking. These applications are usually employed
at a later stage of biochemical characterisation and aimed more at investigation of
the three-dimensional structure, and in the case of proteins and peptides, address the
tertiary and quaternary structure.
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