Spectroscopic Characterization and Electrochemistry of Poly(ethylene oxide)‐Modified Myoglobin in Organic Solvents

Myoglobin (Mb) was chemically modified with activated poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) (average molecular weight of 2000) to solubilize it in various organic solvents. UV-vis, circular dichroism, and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure correlated with the electron-transfer reactions of PEO-modified Mb (PEO-Mb). Spectroscopic data indicated changes in heme coordination geometry for PEO-Mb in various organic solvents that are different from that in water. The Raman spectrum showed the characteristics of PEO-Mb in PEO oligomer (average MW of 200) in the five-coordinate high-spin state, which facilitates fast electron-transfer reactions between protein and the glassy carbon electrode. These results suggest heme environment effects on the properties of proteins in organic solvents.