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Free keywords:
Blue bacteriorhodopsin; Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); Frotonation change; Photocycle
Abstract:
High-resolution solid-state 13C NMR spectra of the ground state and M intermediate of the bacteriorhodopsin mutant D96N with the isotope label at [4-13C]Asp and [11-13C]Trp were recorded. The NMR spectra show that Asp85 is protonated in the M intermediate. The environment of Asp85 is quite hydrophobic. On the other hand, Asp212 remains deprotonated and a slight shift to lower field indicates a more hydrophilic environment. Asp85 also protonates in the purple-to-blue transition of bacteriorhodopsin in the deionized membrane, where it experiences a similar environment to M. The shift of Trp resonances in M reflect a conformational change of the protein in forming the M intermediate.