The theory behind the phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is developed. Variants on the standard technique such as long-range SPR, coupled plasmon-waveguide resonance and its long-range version are also described.

The applications of surface plasmon resonance are outlined, along with the various ways of measuring the responses, namely, constant angle, constant wavelength and time-resolved methods. The determination of thin film masses, and study of kinetics on surfaces are covered.

Second Edition of the Encyclopedia of Spectroscopy and Spectrometry pulls key information into a single source for quick access to answers and/or in-depth examination of topics. SPEC-2 covers theory, methods, and applications for researchers, students, and professionals - combining proven techniques and new insights for comprehensive coverage of the field. The content is available in print and online via ScienceDirect, the latter of which offers optimal flexibility, accessibility, and usability through anytime, anywhere access for multiple users and superior search functionality. No other work gives analytical and physical (bio)chemists such unprecedented access to the literature. With 30% new content, SPEC-2 maintains the 'authoritative, balanced coverage' of the original work while also breaking new ground in spectroscopic research. The key features of the book include: incorporates more than 150 color figures, 5,000 references, and 300 articles (30% of which are new), for a thorough examination of the field; highlights new research and promotes innovation in applied areas ranging from food science and forensics to biomedicine and health; and features a new co-editor: David Koppenaal of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Washington, USA, whose work in atomic mass spectrometry has been recognized internationally.

Aims: Due to their anisotropic properties and other factors, it has been difficult to determine the conformational and dynamic properties of integral membrane proteins such as G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), growth factor receptors, ion channels, etc. in response to ligands and subsequent signaling. Herein a novel methodology is presented that allows such studies to be performed while maintaining the receptors in a membrane environment.Main method: Plasmon waveguide resonance (PWR) spectroscopy is a relatively new biophysical method which allows one to directly observe structural and dynamic changes which occur on interaction of GPCRs (and other integral membrane proteins) with ligands and signaling molecules. The delta opioid receptor (DOR) and its ligands serve as an excellent model system to illustrate the new insights into GPCR signaling that can be obtained by this method.Key findings: Among our key findings are: 1) it is possible to obtain the following information directly and without any need for labels (radioactive, fluorescent, etc.): binding affinities, and the ability to distinguish between agonists, antagonists, inverse agonist, and partial agonists without a need for second messenger analysis; 2) it is possible to determine directly, again without a need for labels, G-protein binding to variously occupied or unoccupied DORs, and to determine which a-subtype is involved in allowing structurally different agonist ligands to have differential effects; 3) GTP-gamma S binding can be examined directly; and 4) binding of the DOR with different ligands leads to differential segregation of the ligand-receptor complex into lipid rafts.Significance: The implications of these discoveries suggest a need to modify our current views of GPCR-ligand interactions and signaling. 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A procedure has been developed for directly depositing membrane fragments derived from bacterial cells (chromatophores from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides) and mammalian cells (mu-opioid receptor- and MC4 receptor-transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells and rat trigeminal ganglion cells) on the silica surface of a plasmon-waveguide resonance (PWR) spectrometer. Binding of ligands (cytochrome c(2) for the chromatophores, the peptide agonists DAMGO and melanotan-II that are specific for the mu-opioid and MC4 receptors, and two nonpeptide agonists that are specific for the CB1 receptor) to these membrane fragments has been observed and characterized with high sensitivity using PWR spectral shifts. The K(D) values obtained are in excellent agreement with conventional pharmacological assays and with prior PWR studies using purified receptors inserted into deposited lipid bilayer membranes. These studies provide a new tool for obtaining useful biological information about receptor-mediated processes in real biological membranes.

Plasmon waveguide resonance (PWR) spectroscopy, a variant of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectrometry, allows one to examine changes in conformation of anisotropic structures such as membranes and membrane-associated proteins such as G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The binding and resulting structural changes that accompany interactions of membrane protein with ligands (agonists, antagonists, inverse agonist, etc.), G-proteins, and other effectors and modulators of signaling can be directly examined with this technique. In this chapter we outline the instrumentation used for these studies, the experimental methods that allow determination of the structural changes, and thermodynamic and kinetic parameters that can be obtained from these studies.

Cannabinoid drugs differ in their rank order of potency to produce analgesia versus other central nervous system effects. We propose that these differences are due to unique agonist-bound cannabinoid CB1 receptor conformations that exhibit different affinities for individual subsets of intracellular signal transduction pathways. In order to test this hypothesis, we have used plasmon-waveguide resonance (PAIR) spectroscopy, a sensitive method that can provide direct information about ligand-protein and protein-protein interactions, and can detect conformational changes in lipid-embedded proteins. A recombinant epitope-tagged human cannabinoid CB1 receptor was expressed in insect Sf9 cells, solubilized and purified using two-step affinity chromatography. The purified receptor was incorporated into a lipid bilayer on the surface of the PWR resonator. PWR spectroscopy demonstrated that cannabinoid agonists exhibit high affinity (K-D = 0.2 +/- 0.03 nM and 2 +/- 0.4 nM for CP 55,940 and WIN 55,212-2, respectively) for the purified epitope tagged hCB(1) receptor. Interestingly however, these structurally different cannabinoid agonists shifted the PWR spectra in opposite directions, indicating that CP 55,940 and WIN 55,212-2 binding leads to different hCB(1) receptor conformations. Furthermore, PWR experiments also indicated that these CP 55,940-and WIN 55,212-bound hCB(1) receptor conformations exhibit slightly different affinities to an inhibitory G protein heterotrimer, G(il) (K-D = 27 +/- 8 nM and K-D = 10.7 +/- 4.7 nM, respectively), whereas they strikingly differ in their ability to activate this G protein type. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New modalities providing safe and effective treatment of pain, especially prolonged pathological pain, have not appeared despite much effort. In this mini-review/overview we suggest that new paradigms of drug design are required to counter the underlying changes that occur in the nervous system that may elicit chronic pain states. We illustrate this approach with the example of designing, in a single ligand, molecules that have agonist activity at μ and σ opioid receptors and antagonist activities at cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors. Our findings thus far provide evidence in support of this new approach to drug design. We also report on a new biophysical method, plasmon waveguide resonance (PWR) spectroscopy, which can provide new insights into information transduction in g-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) as illustrated by the δ opioid receptor.

PAGE 48891: In the right column, under the heading “Lipid Bilayer Formation, hDOR Incorporation, and G-protein Addition,” “methanol (0.05:0.95: 0.5, v/v)” should read “methanol (0.05:9.5:0.5, v/v).”

Using a recently developed method (Salamon, Z., Macleod, H. A., and Tollin, G. (1997) Biophys. J. 73, 2791-2797), plasmon-waveguide resonance spectroscopy, we have been able, for the first time, to directly measure the binding between the human brain delta-opioid receptor (hDOR) and its G-protein effectors in real-time. We have found that the affinity of the G-proteins toward the receptor is highly dependent on the nature of the ligand pre-bound to the receptor. The highest affinity was observed when the receptor was bound to an agonist ( approximately 10 nm); the lowest when receptor was bound to an antagonist ( approximately 500 nm); and no binding at all was observed when the receptor was bound to an inverse agonist. We also have found direct evidence for the existence of an additional G-protein binding conformational state that corresponds to the unliganded receptor, which has a G-protein binding affinity of approximately 60 nm. Furthermore, GTP binding to the receptor.G-protein complex was only observed when the agonist was pre-bound. Similar studies were carried out using the individual G-protein subtypes for both the agonist and the unliganded receptor. Significant selectivity toward the different G-protein subtypes was observed. Thus, the unliganded receptor had highest affinity toward the Galphao (Kd approximately 20 nm) and lowest affinity toward the Galphai2 ( approximately 590 nm) subtypes, whereas the agonist-bound state had highest affinity for the Galphao and Galphai2 subtypes (Kd approximately 9 nm and approximately 7 nm, respectively). GTP binding was also highly selective, both with respect to ligand and G-protein subtype. We believe that this methodology provides a powerful new way of investigating transmembrane signaling.