Raman Spectroscopy of Proteins and Nucleic Acids: From Amino Acids and Nucleotides to Large Assemblies

Abstract Nucleic acids and proteins are important biomolecules in all living organisms. Here, the principles are summarized to analyze Raman spectra of nucleic acids, proteins, and complexes of proteins and lipids in solutions and in crystallized form. These principles are transferred to Raman analysis of cells and tissues that contain spectral contributions of proteins and nucleic acids. Raman images of cells are able to resolve subcellular features with distinct spectral signatures. Raman images of tissues are able to resolve cellular features. In general, Raman spectra provide a phenotypic fingerprint for the cell type and tissue type, and cell‐ and tissue‐associated processes and pathologies. The knowledge about the assignment of protein and nucleic acid bands is the key to understand the underlying molecular variations. Tables are compiled for bands of protein secondary structures, bands of nucleotides, and bands of nucleic acids conformations. Figures present Raman spectra of (i) aromatic amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan, (ii) proteins bovine serum albumin, concanavalin A and collagen, (iii) DNA and RNA, (iv) protein–DNA complexes, (v) nucleus and cytoplasm of cells, (vi) nucleic acid and protein distribution in dried and nondried tissue sections, and (vii) segmentation of various tissue types in colon cross section.