u/7ieben_

▲ 4 r/Chempros+2 crossposts

Unexpected Raman shift - protein analysis

Hey fellow chemists,

right know I'm facing a problem I can't solve and even the literature doesn't seem to have encountered this problems; hence I'm seeking some of your expertise now.


What have we done:

  • Raman spectroscopy of soy protein isolate (10 % in water)

  • Laser: 532 nm

  • Duration: 10 s, 12 counts

  • Standardisation of spectrum: via Phenylalanin


The problem: We encounter a unexpected raman shift (compared to literature on Raman spectroscopy performed on either solid or dissolved protein) and can't explain it.

In particular

  • our disulfid SS conformation peaks are all shifted by roughly -50 cm^(-1) showing up at 450 - 500 cm^(-1)

  • our Tyrosine and Tryptophane doublet are shifted by roughly -20 cm^(-1) with Trp around 1320cm^(-1) and Tyr around 820 cm^(-1)

We don't suspect any instrumental errors, as a) it was calibrated/ checked recently and b) the Amide peaks show up as expected.


Does anyone here have an idea what could cause the problem and/ or ideas about how to revolve it?

Thanks in advance!

Best,

7

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u/7ieben_ — 7 days ago