title: Hydration-dependent far-infrared absorption in lysozyme detected using synchrotron radiation.
abstract: Using the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at Brookhaven far-infrared absorption in the frequency range 15-45 cm-1 was detected in samples of lysozyme at different hydrations and in water. The absorption is due to the presence of low-frequency (picosecond timescale) motion in the samples, such as are calculated in molecular dynamics simulations. The form of the transmission profile is temperature independent but varies significantly with the degree of hydration of the protein. At higher hydrations the profile resembles closely that of pure water in the region 20-45 cm-1. At a low hydration marked differences are seen with, in particular, the appearance of a transmission minimum at 19 cm-1. The possible origins of the hydration dependence are discussed. The results demonstrate the usefulness of long-wavelength synchrotron radiation for the characterisation of biologically-important low-frequency motions in protein samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Fairleigh-Dickinson University, Teaneck, New Jersey.
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Moeller
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Steinhauser
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hirschmugl
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D009113:Muramidase / Q000737:chemistry*; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D011485:Protein Binding; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared / Q000379:methods; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D009113:Muramidase