No description available.

Les cyanobactéries ont une place très importante dans les écosystèmes aquatiques et un nombre important d’espèces considéré comme nuisible de par leur production de métabolites toxiques. Ces cyanotoxines possèdent des propriétés très variées et ont souvent été associées à des épisodes d’empoisonnement. L’augmentation des épisodes d’efflorescence d’origine cyanobactériennes et le potentiel qu’ils augmentent avec les changements climatiques a renchéri l’intérêt de l’étude des cyanobactéries et de leurs toxines. Considérant la complexité chimique des cyanotoxines, le développement de méthodes de détection simples, sensibles et rapides est toujours considéré comme étant un défi analytique. Considérant ces défis, le développement de nouvelles approches analytiques pour la détection de cyanotoxines dans l’eau et les poissons ayant été contaminés par des efflorescences cyanobactériennes nuisibles a été proposé. Une première approche consiste en l’utilisation d’une extraction sur phase solide en ligne couplée à une chromatographie liquide et à une détection en spectrométrie de masse en tandem (SPE-LC-MS/MS) permettant l’analyse de six analogues de microcystines (MC), de l’anatoxine (ANA-a) et de la cylindrospermopsine (CYN). La méthode permet une analyse simple et rapide et ainsi que la séparation chromatographique d’ANA-a et de son interférence isobare, la phénylalanine. Les limites de détection obtenues se trouvaient entre 0,01 et 0,02 μg L-1 et des concentrations retrouvées dans des eaux de lacs du Québec se trouvaient entre 0,024 et 36 μg L-1. Une deuxième méthode a permis l’analyse du b-N-méthylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), d’ANA-a, de CYN et de la saxitoxine (STX) dans les eaux de lac contaminés. L’analyse de deux isomères de conformation du BMAA a été effectuée afin d’améliorer la sélectivité de la détection. L’utilisation d’une SPE manuelle permet la purification et préconcentration des échantillons et une dérivatisation à base de chlorure de dansyle permet une chromatographie simplifiée. L’analyse effectuée par LC couplée à la spectrométrie de masse à haute résolution (HRMS) et des limites de détections ont été obtenues entre 0,007 et 0,01 µg L-1. Des échantillons réels ont été analysés avec des concentrations entre 0,01 et 0,3 µg L-1 permettant ainsi la confirmation de la présence du BMAA dans les efflorescences de cyanobactéries au Québec. Un deuxième volet du projet consiste en l’utilisation d’une technologie d’introduction d’échantillon permettant des analyses ultra-rapides (< 15 secondes/échantillons) sans étape chromatographique, la désorption thermique à diode laser (LDTD) couplée à l’ionisation chimique à pression atmosphérique (APCI) et à la spectrométrie de masse (MS). Un premier projet consiste en l’analyse des MC totales par l’intermédiaire d’une oxydation de Lemieux permettant un bris de la molécule et obtenant une fraction commune aux multiples congénères existants des MC. Cette fraction, le MMPB, est analysée, après une extraction liquide-liquide, par LDTD-APCI-MS/MS. Une limite de détection de 0,2 µg L-1 a été obtenue et des concentrations entre 1 et 425 µg L-1 ont été trouvées dans des échantillons d’eau de lac contaminés du Québec. De plus, une analyse en parallèle avec des étalons pour divers congénères des MC a permis de suggérer la possible présence de congénères ou d’isomères non détectés. Un deuxième projet consiste en l’analyse directe d’ANA-a par LDTD-APCI-HRMS pour résoudre son interférence isobare, la phénylalanine, grâce à la détection à haute résolution. La LDTD n’offre pas de séparation chromatographique et l’utilisation de la HRMS permet de distinguer les signaux d’ANA-a de ceux de la phénylalanine. Une limite de détection de 0,2 µg L-1 a été obtenue et la méthode a été appliquée sur des échantillons réels d’eau avec un échantillon positif en ANA-a avec une concentration de 0,21 µg L-1. Finalement, à l’aide de la LDTD-APCI-HRMS, l’analyse des MC totales a été adaptée pour la chair de poisson afin de déterminer la fraction libre et liée des MC et comparer les résultats avec des analyses conventionnelles. L’utilisation d’une digestion par hydroxyde de sodium précédant l’oxydation de Lemieux suivi d’une purification par SPE a permis d’obtenir une limite de détection de 2,7 µg kg-1. Des échantillons de poissons contaminés ont été analysés, on a retrouvé des concentrations en MC totales de 2,9 et 13,2 µg kg-1 comparativement aux analyses usuelles qui avaient démontré un seul échantillon positif à 2 µg kg-1, indiquant la possible présence de MC non détectés en utilisant les méthodes conventionnelles. / Cyanobacteria have a very important place in aquatic ecosystems and a significant number of species are considered harmful given their production of toxic metabolites. These cyanotoxins have various chemical proprieties and have often been associated with poisoning episodes. The frequency of cyanobacterial blooms is increasing and the study of cyanobacteria and their toxins is of increasing interest, especially considering the potential increase associated with climate changes. Given the chemical complexity of the cyanotoxins, the development of simple, sensitive and fast detection methods is an analytical challenge. Considering these issues, the development of new analytical approaches for the detection of cyanotoxins in water and fish samples contaminated with harmful cyanobacterial blooms have been proposed. A first approach consists of the use of an on-line solid phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS) for the analysis of six microcystins (MCs), anatoxin-a (ANA-a) and cylindrospermopsin (CYN). This method allows a simple and rapid analysis and enables the chromatographic separation of ANA-a and its isobaric interference, phenylalanine. The detection limits ranged from 0.01 to 0.02 µg L-1 and concentrations in lake waters were found between 0.024 and 36 µg L-1. A second method consists of using manual solid phase extraction (SPE) coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) for the determination of b-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), ANA-a, CYN and saxitoxin (STX) in contaminated lake water. The analysis of two conformational isomers of BMAA was done to improve the selectivity. Dansyl chloride-based derivatization allows simplified chromatography. The detection limits were obtained between 0.007 and 0.01 µg L-1. The analysis of bloom water samples detected concentrations of cyanotoxins between 0.01 and 0.3 µg L-1 allowing the confirmation of the presence of BMAA in algal blooms in Québec. A second part of the project consists in the use of an alternative sample introduction technology for MS analysis. It enables ultra-fast analysis (< 15 seconds/sample) without the use of a chromatographic step, and is called laser diode thermal desorption (LDTD) coupled with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). The first LDTD project consists of the analysis of total MCs via Lemieux oxidation in order to obtain a common moiety of all MCs existing congeners. This fraction, the MMPB, is analyzed after a liquid-liquid extraction step, with the LDTD-APCI-MS/MS. A value of 0.2 µg L-1 was obtained for detection limit and concentrations between 1 and 425 µg L-1 have been found in contaminated water samples. In addition, a comparison with a parallel analysis using MCs congeners’ standards suggested the possible presence of undetected MCs or isomers. A second project involves the direct analysis of ANA-a using LDTD-APCI-HRMS in order to solve the isobaric interference, phenylalanine, which is possible due to the high resolution detection. The LDTD offers no chromatographic separation and by using HRMS, we can distinguish ANA-a signals from those of phenylalanine. A value of 0.2 µg L-1 was obtained as detection limit and the method has been applied on water bloom samples with a positive concentration of 0.21 µg L-1. Finally, using the LDTD-APCI-HRMS combination, analysis of total MCs has been adapted to fish tissues to determine the unbound and bound MCs and compare the results with standard analysis. The use of digestion with sodium hydroxide prior to Lemieux oxidation followed by SPE purification yielded a detection limit of 2.7 µg kg-1. Total MCs concentrations were found between 2.9 and 13.2 µg kg-1 in real field-collected contaminated fish samples and comparison was made with standard analysis which yield a single positive sample with a concentration of 2 µg kg-1. This indicates the possible presence of undetected MCs using conventional analytical methods.

The electrical properties of proteins in solution are important for their structure and function. Computational biophysics studies of proteins need accurate parameters to ensure that numerical simulations match physical reality. Past work in this eld has compared the electrical properties of proteins obtained from dielectric spectroscopy to numerical simulations of proteins in water with adjustment of pKa values to try to capture the inevitable changes in electrical conformation that will occur in a complex structure such as a folded protein. However, fundamental veri cation of the charge parameters of the amino acid building blocks in common molecular dynamics software packages with electrical experiments needs to be performed to have increased con dence in the results from numerical simulations. The aim of this thesis is to start from a fundamental building block, the single amino acid alanine, and to compare numerical simulations of this amino acid in water using parameters from commonly used charge structures in CHARMM, GROMOS, and OPLS, with electrical parameters obtained from dielectric spectroscopy experiments in the GHz range. To this end, multiple molecular dynamics simulations were performed to accurately determine how these different charge structures yield different dielectric increments. Additionally, a commercial RF dielectric measurement probe was modi ed to perform measurements on solutions containing alanine at different concentrations. Using regression, the dielectric increment of alanine is readily determined and compared with the numerical simulations. The results indicate that the CHARMM and OPLS parameters seem to adequately capture the charge con guration of alanine in solution, while the GROMOS parameters produce a dielectric increment but do not seem to adequately capture the charge con guration of alanine in solution. These studies lay the foundation for future studies of additional amino acids in solution as well as a stepping stone for larger simulations of the electrical properties of fully solvated proteins in solution.

La neurotoxine β-N-méthyl-amino-l-alanine (BMAA) et ses isomères, notamment la N-(2- aminoéthyl glycine) (AEG), la β-amino-N-méthyl alanine (BAMA) et l'acide 2,4- diaminobutyrique (DAB), ont été détectés précédemment dans des échantillons de cyanobactéries. Cependant, il existe des rapports contradictoires concernant leur présence dans les eaux de surface. Dans cette étude, nous avons évalué l'impact de l'acide trichloracétique (TCA 0,1M) sur la détection des isomères de BMAA, par rapport aux protocoles préexistants. Une méthode instrumentale sensible a été utilisée pour l'étude, avec des limites de détection de l'ordre de 5-10 ng L-1. Des meilleures limites de détection plus élevés et des niveaux significativement plus importants (test des rangs signés de Wilcoxon appariés, p < 0,001) d'isomères de BMAA ont été observés dans les échantillons traités par le TCA, avec des augmentations relatives allant jusqu'à +725 % pour l'AEG et +1450 % pour le DAB, et des augmentations de concentration absolue allant jusqu'à +15 000 ng L-1 pour l'AEG et +650 ng L-1 pour le DAB. Nous avons également documenté les tendances de la présence des isomères de BMAA dans plusieurs lacs de différents pays tels que le Brésil, le Canada, la France, le Mexique et le Royaume-Uni. Les données obtenues au cours de cette étude (n = 390 provenant de 45 sites d'échantillonnage) indiquent des détections fréquentes des isomères AEG et DAB, avec des taux de détection de 30 % et 43 % et des niveaux maximums de 19 000 ng L-1 et 1 100 ng L-1, respectivement. En revanche, le BAMA a été trouvé dans moins de 8 % des échantillons d'eau, et la BMAA n'a été trouvée dans aucun échantillon. Ces résultats appuient les analyses des cyanobactéries libres, dans lesquelles la BMAA a souvent été détectée avec des concentrations inférieures de 2 à 4 ordres de grandeur à celles de l'AEG et du DAB. Les mesures saisonnières effectuées dans deux lacs impactés par des efflorescences ont indiqué des corrélations limitées entre les isomères de la BMAA et les microcystines totales ou la chlorophylle-a, ce qui mériterait une étude plus approfondie. / The neurotoxic alkaloid β-N-methyl-amino-l-alanine (BMAA) and related isomers, including N-(2-aminoethyl glycine) (AEG), β-amino-N-methyl alanine (BAMA) and 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB), have been reported previously in cyanobacterial samples. However, there are conflicting reports regarding their occurrence in surface waters. In this study, we evaluated the impact of amending lake water samples with trichloroacetic acid (0.1M TCA) on the detection of BMAA isomers, compared with pre-existing protocols. A sensitive instrumental method was enlisted for the survey, with limits of detection in the range of 5-10 ng L-1. Higher detection limits ans significantly greater levels (paired Wilcoxon’s signed-rank tests, p < 0.001) of BMAA isomers were observed TCA-amended samples (method B) compared to samples without TCA (method A). The overall range of B/A ratios was 0.67-8.25 for AEG (up to +725 %) and 0.69-15.5 for DAB (up to +1450 %), with absolute concentration increases TCA-amended samples up to +15,000 ng L-1 for AEG and +650 ng L-1 for DAB. We also documented the trends in the occurrence of BMAA isomers for a large breadth of field-collected lakes from Brazil, Canada, France, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Data gathered during this overarching campaign (overall n = 390 within 45 lake sampling sites) indicate frequent detections of AEG and DAB isomers, with detection rates of 30 % and 43 % and maximum levels of 19,000 ng L-1 and 1,100 ng L- 1, respectively. In contrast, BAMA was found in less than 8 % of the water samples, and BMAA not found in any sample. These results support analyses of free-living cyanobacteria, wherein BMAA was often reported at concentrations 2-4 orders of magnitude lower than AEG and DAB. Seasonal measurements conducted at two bloom-impacted lakes indicated limited correlations of BMAA isomers with total microcystins or chlorophyll-a, which deserves further investigation.

Accurate predictions of binding free energies from computer simulations are an invaluable resource for understanding biochemical processes and drug action. The primary aim of the work described in the thesis was to predict and understand ligand binding to several proteins of major pharmaceutical importance using computational methods. We report a computational strategy to quantitatively predict the effects of alanine scanning and ligand modifications based on molecular dynamics free energy simulations. A smooth stepwise scheme for free energy perturbation calculations is derived and applied to a series of thirteen alanine mutations of the human neuropeptide Y1 G-protein coupled receptor and a series of eight analogous antagonists. The robustness and accuracy of the method enables univocal interpretation of existing mutagenesis and binding data. We show how these calculations can be used to validate structural models and demonstrate their ability to discriminate against suboptimal ones. Site-directed mutagenesis, homology modelling and docking were further used to characterize agonist binding to the human neuropeptide Y2 receptor, which is important in feeding behavior and an obesity drug target.  In a separate project, homology modelling was also used for rationalization of mutagenesis data for an integron integrase involved in antibiotic resistance. Blockade of the hERG potassium channel by various drug-like compounds, potentially causing serious cardiac side effects, is a major problem in drug development. We have used a homology model of hERG to conduct molecular docking experiments with a series of channel blockers, followed by molecular dynamics simulations of the complexes and evaluation of binding free energies with the linear interaction energy method. The calculations are in good agreement with experimental binding affinities and allow for a rationalization of three-dimensional structure-activity relationships with implications for design of new compounds. Docking, scoring, molecular dynamics, and the linear interaction energy method were also used to predict binding modes and affinities for a large set of inhibitors to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. Good agreement with experiment was found and the work provides a validation of the methodology as a powerful tool in structure-based drug design. It is also easily scalable for higher throughput of compounds.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-20T12:40:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Agnes Thiane Machado.pdf: 7176772 bytes, checksum: 01a4049f5c4aed0935803a0cf3a6468d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Study of protein three-dimensional structures allow us to investigate the relations between amino acid sequence, structure and function, what is important chiefly for proteins from pathogenic organisms or ones that belong to the same genus of these, such that they can be used as a structural model. In this context, this work aims at the structural characterization of the enzymes alanine racemase long isoform from Trypanosoma cruzi and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Naegleria gruberi. The long isoform of alanine racemase catalyzes the conversion between L and D-alanine which, in turn, is part of one of the metabolic pathways in Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. The heterologous expression of this enzyme in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) GroEL was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, which revealed that the protein is in higher proportion in the insoluble fraction, thus it was necessary to establish a recovery protocol followed by an in vitro refolding. Data from enzymatic assays and circular dichroism revealed the success of the recovery/refolding protocol, which may in the future contribute to the search for specific inhibitors. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Naegleria gruberi catalyzes the sixth step of the organism’s glycolytic pathway. NgGAPDH enzyme was expressed in E. coli (DE3) using the pET-15b vector, and then purified by tree chromatographic steps, two of nickel affinity and one of size exclusion. The enzymatic characterization was investigated with the enzyme without the his-tag; NgGAPDH presented higher activity at pH 8.0, 25 °C and 10 mM of arsenate, and positive cooperativity for substrates G3P and NAD+. His-tag depleted NgGAPDH crystals appeared in 3 days after drop settings, the best crystal diffracted to 1.94 A resolution and belongs to space group P21 with cell parameters a = 83.74 A, b = 94.55 A, c = 90.93 A, = 99.96 °. The final refined structure presents R = 0.1652 and Rfree = 0.2029. The catalytic domain formed by residues 134 to 313 is highly conserved, as expected, with the exception of Asn145, present only in NgGAPDH, while the other GAPDHs present either Ser or Thr on the corresponding position. Molecular dynamics analysis revealed that Asn145 has correlated motion with residues Ala123, Thr125 and Pro126 that belong to what was called "bonded loop". It should be emphasized that this is the first GAPDH from the phylum Percolozoa that has its three dimensional structure determined and kinetic parameters established, such that we expect to have contributed to the understanding of the evolution of this class of proteins. / O estudo da estrutura tridimensional de proteínas nos permite investigar as relações entre sequência de aminoácidos, estrutura e função, o que é importante principalmente para proteínas de organismos patogênicos ou mesmo pertencente ao gênero destes, que podem ser utilizadas como modelo estrutural. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho visa caracterizar estruturalmente as enzimas alanina racemase isoforma longa de Trypanosoma cruzi e gliceraldeído-3-fosfato desidrogenase de Naegleria gruberi. A alanina racemase isoforma longa catalisa a conversão entre L e D-alanina em uma das vias metabólicas do T. cruzi, que é o agente etiológico da doença de Chagas. A análise por SDS-PAGE de amostras da expressão heteróloga dessa enzima em Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) GroEL revelou que a proteína está em maior proporção na fração insolúvel, por isso, foi necessário estabelecer um protocolo de recuperação seguido de um reenovelamento in vitro. Dados de ensaios enzimáticos e dicroísmo circular revelaram o sucesso do protocolo de recuperação/reenovelamento, o que poderá no futuro contribuir para a busca de inibidores específicos. A gliceraldeído-3-fosfato desidrogenase de Naegleria gruberi catalisa a sexta etapa da via glicolítica do organismo. A enzima NgGAPDH foi expressa em E. coli (DE3) usando-se o vetor pET-15b e então purificada em três passos de cromatografia, dois por afinidade a níquel e um por exclusão por tamanho. A caracterização enzimática foi realizada com a enzima sem a ―his-tag‖; a NgGAPDH apresentou maior atividade em pH 8,0, 25 °C e 10 mM de arsenato, e cooperatividade positiva frente aos substratos G3P e NAD+. Cristais de NgGAPDH sem a ―his-tag‖ apareceram em 3 dias após montagem das gotas e o melhor difratou a 1,94 A de resolução, pertencendo ao grupo espacial P21 com parâmetros de cela a = 83,74 Å, b = 94,55 A, c = 90,93 A e = 99,96 °. A estrutura final refinada apresenta R = 0,1652 e Rfree = 0,2029. O domínio catalítico formado pelos resíduos 134 a 313 é altamente conservado, como esperado, com exceção da Asn145, presente somente em NgGAPDH, enquanto que as demais GAPDHs apresentam Ser ou Thr na posição correspondente. Análises por dinâmica molecular revelaram que a Asn145 tem correlação de movimento com os resíduos Ala123, Thr125 e Pro126, pertencentes ao que se chamou de ―bonded loop‖. Ressalte-se que esta é a primeira GAPDH do filo Percolozoa que tem sua estrutura tridimensional determinada e parâmetros cinéticos estabelecidos, tal que se espera contribuir para o entendimento da evolução dessa classe de proteínas.

Hepatite C tem evolução progressiva, persiste na maioria dos pacientes (85%) e leva a uma doença crônica assintomática.A maioria dos pacientes apresenta nível de ALT elevada e aproximadamente 25% normal. Estes geralmente são mulheres e não há associação entre genótipo e severidade da lesão hepática. Histologicamente apresentam lesão mínima e leve fibrose, embora cirrose tenha sido relatado.Visando estimar a prevalência, características demográficas, genotípicas e anatomopatológicas em pacientes com ALT normal, realizamos um estudo de série de 68 casos entre janeiro de 1997 a abril de 2000. A prevalência foi de 13,82%, 45,6% do gênero masculino e 54,4% feminino, média de idade 38 +/- 13 anos. Genótipo 1 em 84,75%, 2 em 6,78% e o 3 em 8,47%. Em 52,9% dos casos biópsia hepática revelou fígado reacional, porém uma importante proporção (29%) dos nossos pacientes com transaminases normais mostrou sinais de fibrose. Estes resultados sugerem a necessidade de revisar os algoritimos da prática de biópsia hepática nessa população / Hepatitis C evolves progressively persisting in the majority of patients (85%) resulting in na asymptomatic chronic disease.Most patients have high ALT levels and approximately 25% normal ALT.The latter are usually female and there is no association between genotype and severity hepatic lesion.Histology shows small lesion and low amount of fibrosis, despite cirrhosis having been reported.Aiming at assessing prevalence, demographic, genotypical and anatomopathological characteristics in patients with normal ALT levels, we studied a series of 68 cases between January 1997 and April 2000.There was a prevalence of 13,82%, 45,6% of which were male and 54,4% female, average age of 38+/-13 years.Genotype 1 in 84,75%, 2 in 6,78% and 3 in 8,47%.In 52,9% of the cases revealed liver reaction, however, an important proportion of patients showed histologic signs of fibrosis (29%).Theses results suggest the need to revisit the algorithm for liver biopsy practice

Hepatite C tem evolução progressiva, persiste na maioria dos pacientes (85%) e leva a uma doença crônica assintomática.A maioria dos pacientes apresenta nível de ALT elevada e aproximadamente 25% normal. Estes geralmente são mulheres e não há associação entre genótipo e severidade da lesão hepática. Histologicamente apresentam lesão mínima e leve fibrose, embora cirrose tenha sido relatado.Visando estimar a prevalência, características demográficas, genotípicas e anatomopatológicas em pacientes com ALT normal, realizamos um estudo de série de 68 casos entre janeiro de 1997 a abril de 2000. A prevalência foi de 13,82%, 45,6% do gênero masculino e 54,4% feminino, média de idade 38 +/- 13 anos. Genótipo 1 em 84,75%, 2 em 6,78% e o 3 em 8,47%. Em 52,9% dos casos biópsia hepática revelou fígado reacional, porém uma importante proporção (29%) dos nossos pacientes com transaminases normais mostrou sinais de fibrose. Estes resultados sugerem a necessidade de revisar os algoritimos da prática de biópsia hepática nessa população / Hepatitis C evolves progressively persisting in the majority of patients (85%) resulting in na asymptomatic chronic disease.Most patients have high ALT levels and approximately 25% normal ALT.The latter are usually female and there is no association between genotype and severity hepatic lesion.Histology shows small lesion and low amount of fibrosis, despite cirrhosis having been reported.Aiming at assessing prevalence, demographic, genotypical and anatomopathological characteristics in patients with normal ALT levels, we studied a series of 68 cases between January 1997 and April 2000.There was a prevalence of 13,82%, 45,6% of which were male and 54,4% female, average age of 38+/-13 years.Genotype 1 in 84,75%, 2 in 6,78% and 3 in 8,47%.In 52,9% of the cases revealed liver reaction, however, an important proportion of patients showed histologic signs of fibrosis (29%).Theses results suggest the need to revisit the algorithm for liver biopsy practice

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / FundaÃÃo Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnolÃgico / No presente trabalho foram realizadas medidas de espalhamento Raman polarizado em cristais de L-metionina e de DL-alanina (dois aminoÃcidos) e em diversas amostras de nanotubos de carbono de parede simples (SWNT). As medidas de espalhamento Raman em cristais de L-metionina foram realizadas no intervalo espectral entre 50 cm-1 e 3100 cm-1 desde a temperatura ambiente atà a temperatura de 17 K. No intervalo de temperatura estudado a estrutura da L-metionina manteve-se estÃvel. à temperatura ambiente tambÃm foram realizadas medidas Raman em altas pressÃes hidrostÃticas. A mÃxima pressÃo atingida foi de 4,7 GPa e diversas modificaÃÃes nos modos associados Ãs unidades CO2, NH3, CC, CS, CH, CH2 e CH3 sugerem que a L-metionina sofre um transiÃÃo estrutural de fase em torno de 2,1 GPa com histerese de aproximadamente 0,8 GPa. No cristal de DL-alanina foram realizadas medidas de espalhamento Raman no intervalo de temperatura de 15 K a 295 K. Embora nenhuma mudanÃa significativa tenha sido observada neste intervalo de temperatura, os resultados sÃo importantes para se entender o comportamento de uma molÃcula fundamental na constituiÃÃo das proteÃnas. Medidas de espalhamento Raman em SWNTâs foram realizadas em amostras preparadas pela tÃcnica de arco voltÃico, utilizando-se vÃrios catalisadores metÃlicos. As amostras foram divididas em duas sÃries: A primeira com os catalisadores à base de MnNiCo e a segunda à base de FeNiCo. Em ambas as sÃries observou-se que a inserÃÃo de CÃrio (Ce) foi responsÃvel por tornar a distribuiÃÃo de diÃmetros do subconjunto ressonante com a energia 2,41 eV mais estreita. AlÃm disso, o mÃximo da distribuiÃÃo à deslocado para o azul, provavelmente em conseqÃÃncia da seleÃÃo de tubos de menor diÃmetro dentro do subconjunto estudado. A inserÃÃo de ZircÃnio (Zr) à segunda sÃrie nÃo trouxe mudanÃas significativas. Foram realizadas medidas de espalhamento Raman em funÃÃo da pressÃo hidrostÃtica em uma amostra comercial de SWNT. Como fluido transmissor foram utilizadas soluÃÃes de dois surfactantes: o dodecil sulfato de sÃdio (SDS) e o Ãcido plurÃnico F127 (F127). Devido à baixa relaÃÃo sinal-ruÃdo, nÃo foi possÃvel estudar o comportamento dos modos de respiraÃÃo radial (RBM), mas pela descontinuidade do grÃfico da freqÃÃncia em funÃÃo da pressÃo dos modos tangenciais em aproximadamente 2 GPa à provÃvel que os nanotubos sofram uma transiÃÃo de fase estrutural nessa pressÃo, com deformaÃÃo da seÃÃo circular dos tubos como predito por estudos teÃricos. Dois conjuntos de amostras contendo diferentes nÃveis de inserÃÃo de lÃtio tambÃm foram estudados por espectroscopia Raman. Cada conjunto era formado por uma amostra sem lÃtio, uma com lÃtio e a terceira com inserÃÃo parcial de lÃtio (obtida pela lavagem da amostra que contÃm lÃtio). Nos dois conjuntos a inserÃÃo foi eficiente, contudo o mecanismo de inserÃÃo à diferente de uma sÃrie para outra. Na primeira sÃrie o catalisador utilizado para a inserÃÃo de lÃtio foi LiNi0,5Co0,5O2. Com este composto o lÃtio à intercalado intersticialmente e pode ser removido quase que completamente pela lavagem da amostra. Jà na segunda sÃrie o composto utilizado foi LiCO3/NiO/CoO o que fez com que o lÃtio fosse intercalado dentro dos tubos de modo a nÃo ser removido pela lavagem da amostra. / This work describes polarized Raman scattering measurements in L-methionine and in DL-alanine (two amino acids) crystals and in several samples of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In L-methionine crystal the Raman spectra were obtained from 17 K to 295 K in the spectral range from 50 cm-1 to 3100 cm-1, but no indication of a phase transition was observed. At room temperature, Raman scattering measurements were also performed for pressure up to 5 GPa. Several changes observed in the spectra were interpreted as due to structural phase transition undergone by L-methionine crystal at ~ 2.1 GPa. The results for decompression show that the phase transition is reversible with a hysteresis of ~ 0.8 GPa. In DL-alanine crystal the Raman spectra were obtained at temperatures from 15 K to 295 K over the spectral range 50 cm-1 - 3100 cm-1. No evidence of structural phase transition was found in this range of temperature, although information about diverse modes of the crystal were furnished. Samples of SWNTâs studied were prepared with metallic catalysts using the arc voltaic method. MnNiCo was the main compound of the first series and FeNiCo, the main compound of the second. In both sets it was observed that Cerium (Ce) insertion induces in the sub-set, probed with the 2.41 eV excitation energy, a narrowing of the diameter distribution favoring the tubes with smaller diameter. The Raman scattering measurements in a commercial sample of SWNTâs show a discontinuity at about 2 GPa. The discontinuity was represented by a changing in the slope of the frequency versus pressure for tangential modes. The measurement was performed twice, using two different solutions of surfactants, sodium dodecil sulfate (SDS) and plurocic acid F127 (F127), and the results were similar. The anomaly was interpreted as due to the deformation of the tubes as predicted theoretically. Two sets of three samples of SWNTâs containing different levels of lithium insertion were also analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. Each set of sample was formed by a sample with lithium, a sample without lithium and a sample with partial insertion of lithium. The results show that the lithium is efficiently intercalated with both lithium containing compound (LiCO3/NiO/CoO and LiNi0.5Co0.5O2), but the mechanism of intercalation differs from one to the other. The intercalation is unstable when lithium is intercalated interstitially (LiNi0.5Co0.5O2) and it can be removed almost completely by washing the sample, but if the lithium is intercalated inside the tubes (LiCO3/NiO/CoO) it can not be removed by the same process.