Infrared, Vibrational Circular Dichroism, and Raman Spectral Simulations for β-Sheet Structures with Various Isotopic Labels, Interstrand, and Stacking Arrangements Using Density Functional Theory

Abstract

Infrared (IR), Raman, and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectral variations for different β-sheet structures were studied using simulations based on density functional theory (DFT) force field and intensity computations. The DFT vibrational parameters were obtained for β-sheet fragments containing nine-amides and constrained to a variety of conformations and strand arrangements. These were subsequently transferred onto corresponding larger β-sheet models, normally consisting of five strands with ten amides each, for spectral simulations. Further extension to fibril models composed of multiple stacked β-sheets was achieved by combining the transfer of DFT parameters for each sheet with dipole coupling methods for interactions between sheets. IR spectra of the amide I show different splitting patterns for parallel and antiparallel β-sheets, and their VCD, in the absence of intersheet stacking, have distinct sign variations. Isotopic labeling by (13)C of selected residues yields spectral shifts and intensity changes uniquely sensitive to relative alignment of strands (registry) for antiparallel sheets. Stacking of multiple planar sheets maintains the qualitative spectral character of the single sheet but evidences some reduction in the exciton splitting of the amide I mode. Rotating sheets with respect to each other leads to a significant VCD enhancement, whose sign pattern and intensity is dependent on the handedness and degree of rotation. For twisted β-sheets, a significant VCD enhancement is computed even for sheets stacked with either the same or opposite alignments and the inter-sheet rotation, depending on the sense, can either further increase or weaken the enhanced VCD intensity. In twisted, stacked structures (without rotation), similar VCD amide I patterns (positive couplets) are predicted for both parallel and antiparallel sheets, but different IR intensity distributions still enable their differentiation. Our simulation results prove useful for interpreting experimental vibrational spectra in terms of β-sheet and fibril structure, as illustrated in the accompanying paper.