Liquid Water in Protein Crystals at 130 K

Water confined in the solvent channels of a protein crystal shows evidence for liquid phase of water at cryogenic temperatures (~ 130 K)

Chae Un Kim
MacCHESS at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853

Sol M. Gruner
Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source
Department of Physics
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853

Water confined in the solvent channels of a protein crystal shows evidence for liquid phase of water at cryogenic temperatures (~ 130 K). This phenomenon is observed during the high-density amorphous (HDA) to low-density amorphous (LDA) ice transition. The observation provides insight into the anomalous properties of supercooled water and the origin of protein dynamical transition. Image courtesy of Chae Un Kim.

References

Chae Un Kim, Buz Barstow, Mark W. Tate and Sol M. Gruner (2009), Evidence for liquid water during the high-density to low-density amorphous ice transition, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106, 4596-4600.

Chae Un Kim, Yi-Fan Chen, Mark W. Tate and Sol M. Gruner (2008), Pressure induced high-density amorphous ice in protein crystals, J. Appl. Cryst. 41, 1-7.

Chae Un Kim, Raphael Kapfer and Sol M. Gruner (2005), High pressure cooling of protein crystals without cryoprotectants, Acta Cryst. D61, 881-890.

Usage Information

Reporters may freely use this image as long as they include the following credit: "Image courtesy of Chae Un Kim/Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source".

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