MULTIFIELD SATURATION MAGNETIZATION OF METALLOPROTEINS

Multifield saturation magnetization studies of metalloproteins have been rare. A fully automated susceptometer with the requisite sensitivity is commercially available. Software required for fitting the data is commercially available, as are inexpensive high-speed computers capable of thoroughly analyzing a given data set. The fundamental techniques for identifying and minimizing background signals are discussed in this chapter. With these tools and procedures in place, increasing application of this new methodology is expected. This methodology is unique in detecting all of the magnetic sites in a given sample. Proper interpretation of multifield saturation magnetization data, however, can still be tricky. Good judgment is required to deal properly with impurities. The technique does not lend itself to exploratory work on magnetically complicated systems because the methodology lacks the resolution of resonance techniques. Even so, several discoveries have been made using this methodology after thorough measurements with EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopies had laid the groundwork. Saturation magnetization measurements are then able to answer a single, well-defined question that remaines. © 1993, Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.