Time-resolved flow-flash FT-IR difference spectroscopy: the kinetics of CO photodissociation from myoglobin revisited

Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) difference spectroscopy has been proven to be a significant tool in biospectroscopy. In particular, the step-scan technique monitors structural and electronic changes at time resolutions down to a few nanoseconds retaining the multiplex advantage of FT-IR. For the elucidation of the functional mechanisms of proteins, this technique is currently limited to repetitive systems undergoing a rapid photocycle. To overcome this obstacle, we developed a flow-flash experiment in a miniaturised flow channel which was integrated into a step-scan FT-IR spectroscopic setup. As a proof of principle, we studied the rebinding reaction of CO to myoglobin after photodissociation. The use of microfluidics reduced the sample consumption drastically such that a typical step-scan experiment takes only a few 10 ml of a millimolar sample solution, making this method particularly interesting for the investigation of biological samples that are only available in small quantities. Moreover, the flow cell provides the unique opportunity to assess the reaction mechanism of proteins that cycle slowly or react irreversibly. We infer that this novel approach will help in the elucidation of molecular reactions as complex as those of vectorial ion transfer in membrane proteins. The potential application to the oxygen splitting reaction of cytochrome c oxidase is discussed.