Study of Protein Dynamics in Viscous Solvent

The dynamic processes apparent in glycerol:water:lysozyme solutions over a large temperature range were studied with Dielectric Spectroscopy (DS) and Dynamic Light Scattering Spectroscopy (DLS).~ Analysis of the DS spectra reveals a decoupling of large-scale protein motions from the main structural relaxation of glycerol.~ Further studies show a decoupling of protein rotation, large-scale protein motions, and protein diffusion (as measured by DLS) from solution viscosity.~ The decoupling is analogous to that of chain and segmental polymer dynamics with small-scale heterogeneities explained by preferential hydration of the protein in solution.~~