The principle of Magnetic Circular dichroism is to run CD measurements under a controlled magnetic field. MCD accessory consists of a compact 1.4T magnet that can be easily fitted into the sample compartment. The magnetic shield of the standard MOS-500’s photomultiplier is strong enough for high voltage not to be affected by magnetic fields.

Proteins are often studied in far-UV regions in standard CD applications, MCD primarily occurs in Visible and near IR region which makes the MOS-500 ideal for such studies.

MCD Applications

The main application is in biology and biochemistry, metalloproteins are the most likely candidates for MCD measurements, as the presence of metals with degenerate energy levels leads to strong MCD signals. For example, in the case of ferric heme proteins like the horse heart cytochrome cited in our application note, MCD is capable of determining both oxidation and spin state.

Other applications could be regular proteins, MCD being capable of stoichiometrically measuring the tryptophan content of proteins assuming there are no other competing absorbers in the spectroscopic system. MCD can also be used to study d-d transitions in ferrous non-heme systems.

Specifications

• Permanent 1.4T magnet for Circular Dichroism
• Simultaneous measurement of MCD and CD spectra