Specific ion effects enhance local structure in zwitterionic osmolyte solutions.

ABSTRACT: Zwitterionic osmolytes are widely known to have a protein-protective effect against high salt concentration, but a mechanistic picture of osmolyte function remains elusive. Here total scattering is used to determine the room temperature liquid structure of two model cytosol solutions containing trimethylglycine (TMG) with either sodium or potassium chloride. H/D isotopic substitution is used to obtain differential neutron scattering cross sections at multiple contrasts in addition to an X-ray structure factor, and an Empirical Potential Structure Refinement (EPSR) simulation is fitted to the experimental data. We reveal the nature of the interaction between TMG molecules and ions in solution, observing binding between cations and the TMG carboxylate group. We observe three key specific ion

SUBMITTER: Agg KJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11934062 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature