Affiliations: Department of Nuclear Engineering, School of
Engineering, Tokai University, 4-1-1, Kitakaname, Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa,
Japan | Innovative Beauty Science Laboratory, Kanebo Cosmetics
Inc., 5-3-28, Kotobuki-cho, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa, Japan | Skincare Research Laboratory, Kanebo Cosmetics Inc.,
5-3-28, Kotobuki-cho, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa, Japan | Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure
Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Oho 1-1, Tsukuba-shi,
Ibaraki, Japan | Advanced Research Institute for Science and
Engineering, Waseda University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Abstract: XANES spectra of biomacromolecules such as histone, hemoglobin or
bovine serum albumin (BSA) were measured in transmission at the S-K absorption
edge for comparison with those of sulfur containing low-molecular weight
biomolecules with special reference to the dependence on the chemical
environment of sulfur. The spectra of dry histone and hemoglobin exhibited a
prominent peak at the same energy as that of cysteine and glutathione (GSH),
while the BSA spectrum showed an additional peak at a lower energy, which
coincided with that of cystine and glutathione disulfide (GSSG). XANES peaks
were found at the same energy even in a mammalian cell dry pellet. Spectra in
the hydrated state exhibited similar profiles except for a very slight shift of
resonance peaks to the lower energy. These results indicate that XANES profiles
could be applicable to the mapping of S-C and S-S bonds in dry/hydrated
biological systems using a spectromicroscopic technique. In addition, mass
absorption coefficients of GSH and GSSG were determined.
