title: Inelastic incoherent neutron scattering measurements of intact cells and tissues and detection of interfacial water.
abstract: We have previously used inelastic incoherent neutron scattering spectroscopy to investigate the properties of aqueous suspensions of biomolecules as a function of hydration. These experiments led to the identification of signals corresponding to interfacial (hydration) water at low water content. A prediction from these studies was that in the crowded environment inside living cells, a significant proportion of the water would be interfacial, with profound implications for biological function. Here we describe the first inelastic incoherent neutron scattering spectroscopy studies of living cells and tissues. We find that the interfacial water signal is similar to that observed for water interacting with purified biomolecules and other solutes, i.e., it is strongly perturbed in the librational and translational intermolecular optical regions of the spectrum at 20-150 meV. The ratio of interfacial water compared to total water in cells (approximately 30%) is in line with previous experimental data for hydration water and calculations based on simple assumptions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Sciences, UMIST, Manchester M60 1QD, UK. r.ford@umist.ac.uk
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Stuart V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Ruffle
authors.forename: Anibal J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Cuesta
authors.forename: Ilias
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Michalarias
authors.forename: Ilir
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Beta
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Jichen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D016825:Chlamydomonas reinhardtii / Q000737:chemistry; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry; D009502:Neutrons; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000737:chemistry; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014867:Water