ABSTRACT
The utility and increasingly extensive roles of conventional Raman, mid-infrared (IR), and near-infrared (NIR) vibrational spectroscopic methods in the study of biomolecular assemblies are well documented (1-27). With the vast array of sampling procedures currently available for implementation, the capabilities now exist for researchers to readily acquire vibrational spectra of complex, heteroge neous materials. Although often labyrinthine, these spectra reflect both qualitative and quantitative information characteristic of the structural, morphological, and environmental properties of the system under scrutiny. Since the observed vibra tional signal is intrinsic to the molecular system, no additional perturbants such as dyes, tissue stains, or excessive labeling methods are required for either signal generation or identification, obvious advantages to be considered carefully when clarifying subtle conformational effects and assessing functional molecular rela tionships.
