This research grade instrument will serve the need of two major user groups from the Chemistry Department that employ vibration spectroscopy on the following areas of research: a) The structural and functional characterization of halobacterial light-energy transducers and photosensors. b) The study of mechanisms of enzyme catalysis and inhibition; of protein conformational states and folding; and of mechanism-based drug design. For both projects FTIR has become an essential tool to study protein molecular changes and reactions of amino acid side chains. In addition two minor users groups will use the instrument for studies on: a) The physical and chemical basis of eye lens transparency, and b) The study of the structure and function of Bleomycins; a group of anticarcinogenic metalbinding glycopeptide antibiotics.//
