The Use and Misuse of FTIR Spectroscopy in the Determination of Protein Structure

AbstractFourier transform infrartd (FTIR) spectroscopy is an established tool for the structural characterization of proteins. However, many potential pitfalls exist for the unwary investigator. In this review we critically assess the application of FIlR spectroscopy to the determination of protein structure by (1) outlining the principles underlying protein secondary structure determination by FZZR spectroscopy. (2) highhghting the situations in which FZZR spectroscopy should be considered the technique of choice, (3) discussing the manner in which experiments should be conducted to derive as much physiologically relevant information as possible, and (4) outlining current methods for the determination of secondary structure from infrared spectm of proteins.Key Words: infrared spectroscopyproteinssecondary structurequantitation