Effective long-range attraction between protein molecules in solutions studied by small angle neutron scattering

Phys Rev Lett. 2005 Sep 9;95(11):118102. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.118102. Epub 2005 Sep 8.

Abstract

Small angle neutron scattering intensity distributions taken from cytochrome C and lysozyme protein solutions show a rising intensity at a very small wave vector Q, which can be interpreted in terms of the presence of a weak long-range attraction between protein molecules. This interaction has a range several times that of the diameter of the protein molecule, much greater than the range of the screened electrostatic repulsion. We show evidence that this long-range attraction is closely related to the type of anion present and ion concentration in the solution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chickens
  • Cytochromes c / chemistry*
  • Egg Proteins / chemistry
  • Horses
  • Kinetics
  • Muramidase / chemistry*
  • Neutron Diffraction / methods*
  • Solutions

Substances

  • Egg Proteins
  • Solutions
  • Cytochromes c
  • Muramidase