Eumelanin kinetics and sheet structure

J. U. Sutter; T. Bidlakova; J. Karolin; D. J. S. Birch

doi:10.1063/1.3694762

Eumelanin kinetics and sheet structure

J. U. Sutter, T. Bidlakova, J. Karolin, D. J. S. Birch

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11 Citations (Scopus)

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.

Original language	English
Article number	113701
Number of pages	4
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	100
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3694762
Publication status	Published - 15 Mar 2012

Keywords

sheet structure
kinetics
fluorescence
molecular biophysics
organic compounds

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10.1063/1.3694762

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AU - Karolin, J.

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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.

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KW - organic compounds

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Eumelanin kinetics and sheet structure

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NMS: EPSRC Science and Innovation Nanometrology for Molecular Science, Medicine and Manufacture

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Eumelanin kinetics and sheet structure

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NMS: EPSRC Science and Innovation Nanometrology for Molecular Science, Medicine and Manufacture

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