Low-frequency Raman spectra of amyloid fibrils

M Madeline Harper (Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont , Burlington, Vermont 05405,) A Amanda Dumi (Sandia National Laboratories 2 , Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185,) S Shiv Upadhyay (Department of Chemistry) R Riley J. Workman (Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch 4 , Galveston, Texas 77555,) D Delaney Nelson (Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont 1 , Burlington, Vermont 05405,) U Uma Nudurupati (Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont 1 , Burlington, Vermont 05405,) Y Yangguang Ou (Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont 1 , Burlington, Vermont 05405,) D David Punihaole (Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont , Burlington, Vermont 05405,)

Abstract

We report on how low-frequency Raman measurements can be used as a facile tool to investigate the supramolecular structure of amyloid fibrils. We investigate the low-frequency Raman spectra (<500 cm−1) of six different amyloid fibrils exhibiting parallel β-sheet structures prepared from amyloid-β1–40, amylin, amyloid-β25–35, and amylin20–29 peptides. We propose band assignments using a combination of semi-empirical tight-binding calculations and insights gleaned from previously published studies on model polypeptides in β-sheet conformations. We discuss how low-frequency Raman modes can be used to probe the interactions, packing, and ordering of strands and side chains within fibril β-sheets to gain insights into their supramolecular structures.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 162, Issue 21
Published June 07, 2025
ISSN 0021-9606
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

The Journal of Chemical Physics

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0021-9606 Physical Sciences

Authors (8)

M

Madeline Harper

Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont , Burlington, Vermont 05405,

A

Amanda Dumi

Sandia National Laboratories 2 , Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185,

S

Shiv Upadhyay

Department of Chemistry

R

Riley J. Workman

Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch 4 , Galveston, Texas 77555,

D

Delaney Nelson

Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont 1 , Burlington, Vermont 05405,

U

Uma Nudurupati

Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont 1 , Burlington, Vermont 05405,

Y

Yangguang Ou

Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont 1 , Burlington, Vermont 05405,

D

David Punihaole

Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont , Burlington, Vermont 05405,