Following radical pair reactions in solution: a step change in sensitivity using cavity ring-down detection.

The study of radical pair intermediates in biological systems has been hampered by the low sensitivity of the optical techniques usually employed to investigate these highly reactive species. Understanding the physical principles governing the spin-selective and magneto-sensitive yields and kinetics...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Maeda, K, Neil, SR, Henbest, K, Weber, S, Schleicher, E, Hore, P, Mackenzie, S, Timmel, C
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2011
_version_ 1826281797540904960
author Maeda, K
Neil, SR
Henbest, K
Weber, S
Schleicher, E
Hore, P
Mackenzie, S
Timmel, C
author_facet Maeda, K
Neil, SR
Henbest, K
Weber, S
Schleicher, E
Hore, P
Mackenzie, S
Timmel, C
author_sort Maeda, K
collection OXFORD
description The study of radical pair intermediates in biological systems has been hampered by the low sensitivity of the optical techniques usually employed to investigate these highly reactive species. Understanding the physical principles governing the spin-selective and magneto-sensitive yields and kinetics of their reactions is essential in identifying the mechanism governing bird migration, and might have significance in the discussion of potential health hazards of electromagnetic radiation. Here, we demonstrate the powerful capabilities of optical cavity-enhanced techniques, such as cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) in monitoring radical recombination reactions and associated magnetic field effects (MFEs). These include submicrosecond time-resolution, high sensitivity (baseline noise on the order of 10(-6) absorbance units) and small (μL) sample volumes. Combined, we show that these represent significant advantages over the single-pass flash-photolysis techniques conventionally applied. The studies described here focus on photoinduced radical pair reactions involving the protein lysozyme and one of two possible photosensitizers: anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonate and flavin mononucleotide. CRDS-measured MFEs are observed in pump-probe experiments and discussed in terms of the sensitivity gains and sample-volume minimization afforded by CRDS when compared with flash photolysis methods. Finally, CRDS is applied to an in vitro MFE study of intramolecular electron transfer in the DNA-repair enzyme, Escherichia coli photolyase, a protein closely related to cryptochrome which has been proposed to mediate animal magnetoreception.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T00:34:13Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:80d4ef31-80f4-4667-b5a9-959e2707c31d
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T00:34:13Z
publishDate 2011
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:80d4ef31-80f4-4667-b5a9-959e2707c31d2022-03-26T21:26:11ZFollowing radical pair reactions in solution: a step change in sensitivity using cavity ring-down detection.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:80d4ef31-80f4-4667-b5a9-959e2707c31dEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2011Maeda, KNeil, SRHenbest, KWeber, SSchleicher, EHore, PMackenzie, STimmel, CThe study of radical pair intermediates in biological systems has been hampered by the low sensitivity of the optical techniques usually employed to investigate these highly reactive species. Understanding the physical principles governing the spin-selective and magneto-sensitive yields and kinetics of their reactions is essential in identifying the mechanism governing bird migration, and might have significance in the discussion of potential health hazards of electromagnetic radiation. Here, we demonstrate the powerful capabilities of optical cavity-enhanced techniques, such as cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) in monitoring radical recombination reactions and associated magnetic field effects (MFEs). These include submicrosecond time-resolution, high sensitivity (baseline noise on the order of 10(-6) absorbance units) and small (μL) sample volumes. Combined, we show that these represent significant advantages over the single-pass flash-photolysis techniques conventionally applied. The studies described here focus on photoinduced radical pair reactions involving the protein lysozyme and one of two possible photosensitizers: anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonate and flavin mononucleotide. CRDS-measured MFEs are observed in pump-probe experiments and discussed in terms of the sensitivity gains and sample-volume minimization afforded by CRDS when compared with flash photolysis methods. Finally, CRDS is applied to an in vitro MFE study of intramolecular electron transfer in the DNA-repair enzyme, Escherichia coli photolyase, a protein closely related to cryptochrome which has been proposed to mediate animal magnetoreception.
spellingShingle Maeda, K
Neil, SR
Henbest, K
Weber, S
Schleicher, E
Hore, P
Mackenzie, S
Timmel, C
Following radical pair reactions in solution: a step change in sensitivity using cavity ring-down detection.
title Following radical pair reactions in solution: a step change in sensitivity using cavity ring-down detection.
title_full Following radical pair reactions in solution: a step change in sensitivity using cavity ring-down detection.
title_fullStr Following radical pair reactions in solution: a step change in sensitivity using cavity ring-down detection.
title_full_unstemmed Following radical pair reactions in solution: a step change in sensitivity using cavity ring-down detection.
title_short Following radical pair reactions in solution: a step change in sensitivity using cavity ring-down detection.
title_sort following radical pair reactions in solution a step change in sensitivity using cavity ring down detection
work_keys_str_mv AT maedak followingradicalpairreactionsinsolutionastepchangeinsensitivityusingcavityringdowndetection
AT neilsr followingradicalpairreactionsinsolutionastepchangeinsensitivityusingcavityringdowndetection
AT henbestk followingradicalpairreactionsinsolutionastepchangeinsensitivityusingcavityringdowndetection
AT webers followingradicalpairreactionsinsolutionastepchangeinsensitivityusingcavityringdowndetection
AT schleichere followingradicalpairreactionsinsolutionastepchangeinsensitivityusingcavityringdowndetection
AT horep followingradicalpairreactionsinsolutionastepchangeinsensitivityusingcavityringdowndetection
AT mackenzies followingradicalpairreactionsinsolutionastepchangeinsensitivityusingcavityringdowndetection
AT timmelc followingradicalpairreactionsinsolutionastepchangeinsensitivityusingcavityringdowndetection