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Yu Y, Jin S, Fan X, Sarter M, Yu D, Hong L, Baggioli M. Emergence of Debye Scaling in the Density of States of Liquids under Nanoconfinement. ACS NANO 2024; 18:24829-24841. [PMID: 39110912 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c04729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
In the realm of nanoscience, the dynamic behaviors of liquids at scales beyond the conventional structural relaxation time, τ, unfold a fascinating blend of solid-like characteristics, including the propagation of collective shear waves and the emergence of elasticity. However, in classical bulk liquids, where τ is typically of the order of 1 ps or less, this solid-like behavior remains elusive in the low-frequency region of the density of states (DOS). Here, we provide evidence for the emergent solid-like nature of liquids at short distances through inelastic neutron scattering measurements of the low-frequency DOS in liquid water and glycerol confined within graphene oxide membranes. In particular, upon increasing the strength of confinement, we observe a transition from a liquid-like DOS (linear in the frequency ω) to a solid-like behavior (Debye law, ∼ω2) in the range of 1-4 meV. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm these findings and reveal additional solid-like features, including propagating collective shear waves and a reduction in the self-diffusion constant. Finally, we show that the onset of solid-like dynamics is pushed toward low frequency along with the slowing-down of the relaxation processes upon confinement. This nanoconfinement-induced transition, aligning with k-gap theory, underscores the potential of leveraging liquid nanoconfinement in advancing nanoscale science and technology, building more connections between fluid dynamics and materials engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanxi Yu
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Sha Jin
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Wilczek Quantum Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Xue Fan
- Shanghai National Center for Applied Mathematics (SJTU Center), MOE-LSC, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Materials Genome Institute, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Mona Sarter
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Dehong Yu
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, Sydney, NSW 2232, Australia
| | - Liang Hong
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai National Center for Applied Mathematics (SJTU Center), MOE-LSC, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Matteo Baggioli
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Wilczek Quantum Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, Shanghai 201315, China
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2
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Tavagnacco L, Zanatta M, Buratti E, Bertoldo M, Chiessi E, Appel M, Natali F, Orecchini A, Zaccarelli E. Water slowing down drives the occurrence of the low temperature dynamical transition in microgels. Chem Sci 2024; 15:9249-9257. [PMID: 38903230 PMCID: PMC11186305 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc02650k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The protein dynamical transition marks an increase in atomic mobility and the onset of anharmonic motions at a critical temperature (T d), which is considered relevant for protein functionality. This phenomenon is ubiquitous, regardless of protein composition, structure and biological function and typically occurs at large protein content, to avoid water crystallization. Recently, a dynamical transition has also been reported in non-biological macromolecules, such as poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgels, bearing many similarities to proteins. While the generality of this phenomenon is well-established, the role of water in the transition remains a subject of debate. In this study, we use atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and elastic incoherent neutron scattering (EINS) experiments with selective deuteration to investigate the microscopic origin of the dynamical transition and distinguish water and PNIPAM roles. While a standard analysis of EINS experiments would suggest that the dynamical transition occurs in PNIPAM and water at a similar temperature, simulations reveal a different perspective, also qualitatively supported by experiments. From room temperature down to about 180 K, PNIPAM exhibits only modest changes of dynamics, while water, being mainly hydration water under the probed extreme confinement, significantly slows down and undergoes a mode-coupling transition from diffusive to activated. Our findings therefore challenge the traditional view of the dynamical transition, demonstrating that it occurs in proximity of the water mode-coupling transition, shedding light on the intricate interplay between polymer and water dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Tavagnacco
- CNR Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza Piazzale Aldo Moro 2 00185 Rome Italy
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome Piazzale Aldo Moro 2 00185 Rome Italy
| | - Marco Zanatta
- Department of Physics, University of Trento Via Sommarive 14 38123 Trento Italy
| | - Elena Buratti
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara Via L. Borsari 46 44121 Ferrara Italy
| | - Monica Bertoldo
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara Via L. Borsari 46 44121 Ferrara Italy
| | - Ester Chiessi
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata Via della Ricerca Scientifica I 00133 Rome Italy
| | - Markus Appel
- Institut Laue-Langevin 71 avenue des Martyrs, CS 20156 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 France
| | - Francesca Natali
- CNR-IOM, Operative Group Grenoble (OGG), Institut Laue Langevin F-38042 Grenoble France
| | - Andrea Orecchini
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia Via Alessandro Pascoli 06123 Perugia Italy
- CNR-IOM c/o Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia Via Alessandro Pascoli 06123 Perugia Italy
| | - Emanuela Zaccarelli
- CNR Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza Piazzale Aldo Moro 2 00185 Rome Italy
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome Piazzale Aldo Moro 2 00185 Rome Italy
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3
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Bassotti E, Gabrielli S, Paradossi G, Chiessi E, Telling M. An experimentally representative in-silico protocol for dynamical studies of lyophilised and weakly hydrated amorphous proteins. Commun Chem 2024; 7:83. [PMID: 38609466 PMCID: PMC11014950 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01167-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Characterization of biopolymers in both dry and weakly hydrated amorphous states has implications for the pharmaceutical industry since it provides understanding of the effect of lyophilisation on stability and biological activity. Atomistic Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations probe structural and dynamical features related to system functionality. However, while simulations in homogenous aqueous environments are routine, dehydrated model assemblies are a challenge with systems investigated in-silico needing careful consideration; simulated systems potentially differing markedly despite seemingly negligible changes in procedure. Here we propose an in-silico protocol to model proteins in lyophilised and weakly hydrated amorphous states that is both more experimentally representative and routinely applicable. Since the outputs from MD align directly with those accessed by neutron scattering, the efficacy of the simulation protocol proposed is shown by validating against experimental neutron data for apoferritin and insulin. This work also highlights that without cooperative experimental and simulative data, development of simulative procedures using MD alone would prove most challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Bassotti
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica I, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Gabrielli
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica I, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Gaio Paradossi
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica I, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Ester Chiessi
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica I, 00133, Rome, Italy.
| | - Mark Telling
- STFC, ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot, OX11OQX, UK.
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, UK.
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4
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Kikuchi T, Tominaga T, Murakami D, de Souza NR, Tanaka M, Seto H. Detailed dynamical features of the slow hydration water in the vicinity of poly(ethylene oxide) chains. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:064902. [PMID: 38341782 DOI: 10.1063/5.0185432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is a well-known biocompatible polymer and has widely been used for medical applications. Recently, we have investigated the dynamic behavior of hydration water in the vicinity of PEO chains at physiological temperature and shown the presence of slow water with diffusion coefficient one order of magnitude less than that of bulk water. This could be evidence for the intermediate water that is critical for biocompatibility; however, its detailed dynamical features were not established. In this article, we analyze the quasi-elastic neutron scattering from hydration water through mode distribution analysis and present a microscopic picture of hydration water as well as its relation to cold crystallization.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Kikuchi
- Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba 305-0801, Japan
| | - T Tominaga
- Neutron Science and Technology Center, Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society (CROSS), Tokai 319-1106, Japan
| | - D Murakami
- Faculty of Humanity-Oriented Science and Engineering, Kindai University, Iizuka 820-8555, Japan
| | - N R de Souza
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, New Illawarra Rd., Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia
| | - M Tanaka
- Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - H Seto
- Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba 305-0801, Japan
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Ye Y, Zheng L, Hong L, García Sakai V, de Souza NR, Teng D, Wu B, Xu Y, Cai J, Liu Z. Direct Observation of the Mutual Coupling Effect in the Protein-Water-Glycerol Mixture by Combining Neutron Scattering and Selective Deuteration. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:405-414. [PMID: 38183282 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c05135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Numerous studies have discussed the impact of cosolvents on the structure, dynamics, and stability of proteins in aqueous solutions. However, the dynamics of cosolvents in the protein-water-cosolvent ternary system is largely unexplored in experiments due to technical difficulty. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of the interplay among proteins, water, and cosolvents is still lacking. Here, we employed selective deuteration and neutron scattering techniques to characterize the individual motions of each component in the protein/water/glycerol (GLY) mixture across various temperatures. The consistent dynamic onset temperatures and the correlation between the MSD of the protein and the viscosity of solvents revealed the mutual coupling effects among the three components. Furthermore, our experimental and simulation results showed that the hydrogen bond relaxation energy barrier in the ternary system is ∼43 kJ/mol, whereas in the protein-water binary system it is merely ∼35 kJ/mol. Therefore, we suggest that GLY can enhance hydrogen bond interactions in the ternary system through the mutual coupling effect, thereby serving as one of the protective mechanisms of protein preservation by GLY.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfeng Ye
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Lirong Zheng
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Liang Hong
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai National Centre for Applied Mathematics (SJTU Center), MOE-LSC, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 201203, China
- Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Shanghai 200232, China
| | - Victoria García Sakai
- ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Science & Technology Facilities Council, Didcot OX11 0QX, U.K
| | - Nicolas R de Souza
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology (ANSTO), Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, New South Wales 2232, Australia
| | - Dahong Teng
- Organ Transplantation Center, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350000, China
| | - Bin Wu
- Organ Transplantation Center, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350000, China
| | - Yichao Xu
- Organ Transplantation Center, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350000, China
| | - Jinzhen Cai
- Organ Transplantation Center, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350000, China
| | - Zhuo Liu
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai National Centre for Applied Mathematics (SJTU Center), MOE-LSC, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 201203, China
- Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Shanghai 200232, China
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Zhang L, Liu Z, Yang C, García Sakai V, Tyagi M, Hong L. Conduction Mechanism in Graphene Oxide Membranes with Varied Water Content: From Proton Hopping Dominant to Ion Diffusion Dominant. ACS NANO 2022; 16:13771-13782. [PMID: 35993828 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c00686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Proton conductors, particularly hydrated solid membranes, have various applications in sensors, fuel cells, and cellular biological systems. Unraveling the intrinsic proton transfer mechanism is critical for establishing the foundation of proton conduction. Two scenarios on electrical conduction, the Grotthuss and the vehicle mechanisms, have been reported by experiments and simulations. But separating and quantifying the contributions of these two components from experiments is difficult. Here, we present the conductive behavior of a two-dimensional layered proton conductor, graphene oxide membrane (GOM), and find that proton hopping is dominant at low water content, while ion diffusion prevails with increasing water content. This change in the conduction mechanism is attributable to the layers of water molecules in GOM nanosheets. The overall conductivity is greatly improved by forming one layer of water molecules. It reaches the maximum with two layers of water molecules, resulting from creating a complete hydrogen-bond network within GOM. When more than two layers of water molecules enter the GOM nanosheets, inducing the breakage of the ordered lamellar structure, protons spread in both in-plane and out-of-plane directions inside the GOM. Our results validate the existence of two conduction mechanisms and show their distinct contributions to the overall conductivity. Furthermore, these findings provide an optimization strategy for the design of realizing the fast proton transfer in materials with water participation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zhuo Liu
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai National Center for Applied Mathematics (SJTU Center) and MOE-LSC, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chenxing Yang
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Victoria García Sakai
- Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Neutron and Muon Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Madhusudan Tyagi
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Liang Hong
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai National Center for Applied Mathematics (SJTU Center) and MOE-LSC, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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