SUBPICOSECOND RESONANCE RAMAN-SPECTROSCOPY OF CARBONMONOXYHEMOGLOBIN AND OXYHEMOGLOBIN

In this paper we present the resonance Raman spectrum of the carbonmonoxy- (HbCO) and oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) photointermediates on a 800–900 fs timescale. In the case of HbCO, the frequencies of the so-called core-size markers (1500–1650 cm-1) are characteristic of a deoxylike photoproduct in a high spin state (S = 2) with a partially domed heme. The spectrum of the HbO2 photointermediate, on the other hand, is different, and may be characteristic of an excited-state species. These results are discussed in terms of a reaction scheme previously presented by Petrich, J. W., C. Poyart, and J. L. Martin (1988. Biochemistry. 27:4049–4060) and compared with those obtained in the literature on a 30–40 ps timescale. In both molecules a distinct downshift of the v4 mode was observed with respect to the equilibrium value, which is indicative of an elevated temperature of the heme after photodissociation. © 1990, The Biophysical Society. All rights reserved.