title: Oscillations and accelerations of ice crystal growth rates in microgravity in presence of antifreeze glycoprotein impurity in supercooled water.
abstract: The free growth of ice crystals in supercooled bulk water containing an impurity of glycoprotein, a bio-macromolecule that functions as 'antifreeze' in living organisms in a subzero environment, was observed under microgravity conditions on the International Space Station. We observed the acceleration and oscillation of the normal growth rates as a result of the interfacial adsorption of these protein molecules, which is a newly discovered impurity effect for crystal growth. As the convection caused by gravity may mitigate or modify this effect, secure observations of this effect were first made possible by continuous measurements of normal growth rates under long-term microgravity condition realized only in the spacecraft. Our findings will lead to a better understanding of a novel kinetic process for growth oscillation in relation to growth promotion due to the adsorption of protein molecules and will shed light on the role that crystal growth kinetics has in the onset of the mysterious antifreeze effect in living organisms, namely, how this protein may prevent fish freezing.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-19 Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.affiliation: Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-19 Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.affiliation: Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-19 Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
authors.forename: Shun-Ichi
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Nakatsubo
authors.affiliation: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-8508, Japan.
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yoshizaki
authors.affiliation: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-8508, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tamaru
authors.affiliation: Japan Space Forum, 3-2-1 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan.
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimaoka
authors.affiliation: Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation, 2-1-6 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sone
authors.affiliation: Computer Centre, Gakushuin University, 1-5-1 Mejiro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0858, Japan.
authors.forename: Etsuro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.affiliation: Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-19 Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zepeda
authors.affiliation: Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-19 Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terasawa
authors.affiliation: Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-19 Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
authors.forename: Harutoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asakawa
authors.affiliation: Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-19 Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken-Ichiro
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.affiliation: Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-19 Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sazaki
mesh_terms: D021301:Antifreeze Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003460:Crystallization; D007053:Ice; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D014893:Weightlessness
chemical_list: D021301:Antifreeze Proteins; D007053:Ice; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical