We re
port for the first time the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies on
p300, a large multidomaintranscri
ptional coactivator
protein. Vibration s
pectral analysis has been
performed in an attem
pt to understandthe structure of the
p300 in the absence of its crystal structure. Strong Raman bands associated with amidesI-III have been observed in the
protein s
pectra. This has been confirmed by
performing SERS on deuterated
p300. We also observe Raman bands associated with the
pha.gif" BORDER=0>-helix, try
pto
phan,
phenylalanine, tyrosine, andhistidine. These bands will
provide an ideal tool to study the drug-
protein interactions in thera
peutics usingSERS. We have successfully demonstrated the chloride ion effect on the SERS of
p300. The Raman intensityincreases in the SERS s
pectra u
pon addition of chloride ion along with a
ppearance of new modes. We havedevelo
ped a new method, namely, the "sandwich technique", which could be used to
perform SERS ex
perimentson
proteins in dry conditions.