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Title: Unraveling electronic absorption spectra using nuclear quantum effects: Photoactive yellow protein and green fluorescent protein chromophores in water

Journal Article · · Journal of Chemical Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5025517· OSTI ID:1526765
 [1];  [2];  [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Univ. of California, Merced, CA (United States)
  2. Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
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Many physical phenomena must be accounted for to accurately model solution-phase optical spectral line shapes, from the sampling of chromophore-solvent configurations to the electronic-vibrational transitions leading to vibronic fine structure. Here we thoroughly explore the role of nuclear quantum effects, direct and indirect solvent effects, and vibronic effects in the computation of the optical spectrum of the aqueously solvated anionic chromophores of green fluorescent protein and photoactive yellow protein. By analyzing the chromophore and solvent configurations, the distributions of vertical excitation energies, the absorption spectra computed within the ensemble approach, and the absorption spectra computed within the ensemble plus zero-temperature Franck-Condon approach, we show how solvent, nuclear quantum effects, and vibronic transitions alter the optical absorption spectra. We find that including nuclear quantum effects in the sampling of chromophore-solvent configurations using ab initio path integral molecular dynamics simulations leads to improved spectral shapes through three mechanisms. The three mechanisms that lead to line shape broadening and a better description of the high-energy tail are softening of heavy atom bonds in the chromophore that couple to the optically bright state, widening the distribution of vertical excitation energies from more diverse solvation environments, and redistributing spectral weight from the 0-0 vibronic transition to higher energy vibronic transitions when computing the Franck-Condon spectrum in a frozen solvent pocket. The absorption spectra computed using the combined ensemble plus zero-temperature Franck-Condon approach yield significant improvements in spectral shape and width compared to the spectra computed with the ensemble approach. Using the combined approach with configurations sampled from path integral molecular dynamics trajectories presents a significant step forward in accurately modeling the absorption spectra of aqueously solvated chromophores.

Research Organization:
Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Univ. of California, Merced, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences Division; National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities Division
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0014437; AC02-05CH11231; ACI-1429830; ACI-1429783; AC02- 05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1526765
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1460130; OSTI ID: 1594841
Journal Information:
Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 149, Issue 2; ISSN 0021-9606
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 25 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (4)

Modeling absorption spectra of molecules in solution journal September 2018
The UVA response of enolic dibenzoylmethane: beyond the static approach journal January 2019
Unraveling the structural and chemical features of biological short hydrogen bonds journal January 2019
Optical spectra in the condensed phase: Capturing anharmonic and vibronic features using dynamic and static approaches journal August 2019

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71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
PYP
GFP
Nuclear quantum effects
PIMD
Vibronic
Ensemble
Franck-Condon
Absorption Spectrum