Abstract
Melanins are common pigments with a non-repeating primary structure that is generally accepted to be composed of dihydroxyindoles. However, despite intensive research the secondary structure defining the minimum functional unit (protomolecule) remains elusive. We have revisited eumelanin formation in-situ during the non-enzymatic auto-oxidation of 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine by using the fluorescence of thioflavin T; an extrinsic probe known to report on sheet structure. This approach obviates the complex intrinsic fluorescence and reveals a sigmoidal temporal dependence of assembly that is consistent with protomolecule formation and assembly into a stacked sheet structure rather than a randomized heteropolymer formed by monomer addition.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 113701 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Applied Physics Letters |
| Volume | 100 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Mar 2012 |
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Keywords
- sheet structure
- kinetics
- fluorescence
- molecular biophysics
- organic compounds
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Eumelanin kinetics and sheet structure. / Sutter, J. U.; Bidlakova, T.; Karolin, J.; Birch, D. J. S.
In: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 100, No. 11, 113701, 15.03.2012.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Eumelanin kinetics and sheet structure
AU - Sutter, J. U.
AU - Bidlakova, T.
AU - Karolin, J.
AU - Birch, D. J. S.
PY - 2012/3/15
Y1 - 2012/3/15
N2 - Melanins are common pigments with a non-repeating primary structure that is generally accepted to be composed of dihydroxyindoles. However, despite intensive research the secondary structure defining the minimum functional unit (protomolecule) remains elusive. We have revisited eumelanin formation in-situ during the non-enzymatic auto-oxidation of 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine by using the fluorescence of thioflavin T; an extrinsic probe known to report on sheet structure. This approach obviates the complex intrinsic fluorescence and reveals a sigmoidal temporal dependence of assembly that is consistent with protomolecule formation and assembly into a stacked sheet structure rather than a randomized heteropolymer formed by monomer addition.
AB - Melanins are common pigments with a non-repeating primary structure that is generally accepted to be composed of dihydroxyindoles. However, despite intensive research the secondary structure defining the minimum functional unit (protomolecule) remains elusive. We have revisited eumelanin formation in-situ during the non-enzymatic auto-oxidation of 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine by using the fluorescence of thioflavin T; an extrinsic probe known to report on sheet structure. This approach obviates the complex intrinsic fluorescence and reveals a sigmoidal temporal dependence of assembly that is consistent with protomolecule formation and assembly into a stacked sheet structure rather than a randomized heteropolymer formed by monomer addition.
KW - sheet structure
KW - kinetics
KW - fluorescence
KW - molecular biophysics
KW - organic compounds
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84859985287&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1063/1.3694762
DO - 10.1063/1.3694762
M3 - Article
VL - 100
JO - Applied Physics Letters
T2 - Applied Physics Letters
JF - Applied Physics Letters
SN - 0003-6951
IS - 11
M1 - 113701
ER -