Nanoscopy of single antifreeze proteins reveals that reversible ice binding is sufficient for ice recrystallization inhibition but not thermal hysteresis.

ABSTRACT: Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) bind ice to reduce freezing temperatures and arrest ice crystal ripening, making AFPs essential for the survival of many organisms in ice-laden environments and attractive as biocompatible antifreezes in many applications. While their activity was identified over 50 years ago, the physical mechanisms through which they function are still debated because experimental insights at the molecular scale remain elusive. Here, we introduce subzero nanoscopy by the design and incorporation of a freezing stage on a commercial super-resolution setup to resolve the interfacial dynamics of single AFPs with ice crystal surfaces. Using this method, we demonstrate irreversible binding and immobilization (i.e., pinning) of individual proteins to the ice/water interface. Surprisin

SUBMITTER: Tas RP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9926230 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature