Center for Synchrotron Biosciences' U2B beamline: an international resource for biological infrared spectroscopy

Abstract

A synchrotron infrared (IR) beamline, U2B, dedicated to the biomedical and biological sciences has been constructed and is in operation at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) of Brookhaven National Laboratory. The facility is operated by the Center for Synchrotron Biosciences of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in cooperation with the NSLS. Owing to the broadband nature of the synchrotron beam with brightness 1000 times that of conventional sources, Fourier transform IR spectroscopy experiments are feasible on diffraction-limited sample areas at high signal-to-noise ratios and with relatively short data-acquisition times. A number of synchrotron IR microscopy experiments that have been performed in the mid-IR spectral range (500-5000 cm(-1)) are summarized, including time-resolved protein-folding studies in the microsecond time regime, IR imaging of neurons, bone and other biological tissues, as well as imaging of samples of interest in the chemical and environmental sciences. Owing to the high flux output of this beamline in the far-IR region (50-500 cm(-1)), investigations of hydrogen bonding and dynamic molecular motions of biomolecules have been carried out from 10 to 300 K using a custom-made cryostat and an evacuated box. This facility is intended as an international resource for biological IR spectroscopy fully available to outside users based on competitive proposal.

Organic Carbon Chemistry in Soils Observed by Synchrotron-Based Spectroscopy

“…When FTIR spectroscopy is combined with a microscope, the technique is called "FTIR spectromicroscopy." This technique enables probing and identifying the chemical makeup or molecular constituents of biological or complex heterogeneous soil or geological samples from their spatially resolved vibrational spectra on a microscopic scale (Johnston and Aochi, 1996;Lehmann et al, 2007;Marinkovic et al, 2002). Conventional benchtop infrared spectrometers are commonly equipped with thermal (globar) sources that provide infrared light that is comparable to the infrared radiation emitted from a synchrotron (Miller and Dumas, 2006;Miller and Smith, 2005).…”

“…The technique is a rapid, direct, and nondestructive analytical approach, capable of exploring the molecular chemistry within microstructures of biological and environmental samples with a high signal-to-noise ratio at fine spatial resolution (Bonetta et al, 2002;Lehmann et al, 2005;Marinkovic et al, 2002;Miller and Dumas, 2006;Raab and Martin, 2001;Vogel et al, 2002;Wetzel, 2001;Wetzel et al, 1998;Yu, 2004;Yu et al, 2003). Sr-FTIR spectroscopy is able to provide information related to the quantity, composition, structure, and distribution of chemical constituents and functional groups in humic With synchrotron light, a very good signal to noise ratio of a very small area (5 Â 5 mm aperture size) with high ultra-spatial resolution is obtained (top) in contrast to a globar source, where a poor spectrum with low signal-to-noise ratio is obtained (bottom) illustrating how the brightness advantage of the synchrotron leads to dramatically improved signal to noise ratios (from Miller and Dumas, 2006).…”

SR-IMS Molecular Spectroscopic Image of Functional Groups in Biopolymers in Feed Systems

“…1650, 1628, 1550, 1067, 1186-950, 2956, and 2920 cm -1 using the OMNIC software 7.2 (Thermo-Nicolet, Madison, Wisconsin). The functional groups peak assignments were from publications (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). Peak ratio images of molecular functional groups, representing the distribution and intensity of the functional group in the tissue, were obtained by dividing the area under one molecular functional group band (eg.…”

Microlocalization and distribution of digestionresistant aromatic lignin and cellulosic compounds in feeds at cellular and subcellular levels: A novel approach

“…Recently, advanced synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (SFTIRM) has been developed as a non-destructive and non-invasive analytical technique (Wetzel and LeVine, 2000;Wetzel, 2001;Marinkovic et al, 2002;Miller and Dumas, 2006). This technique, taking advantage of bright synchrotron light (million times brighter than sunlight), is capable of exploring the structural make-up within microstructures of a biological tissue without destruction of inherent structures (Raab and Martin, 2001;Yu, 2006).…”