Dielectric and calorimetric studies of hydrated purple membrane

• Purple membranes (PM) from halobacteria were hydrated to ∼0.4 and ∼0.2 g H 2 O/g of PM and studied by dielectric spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry between 120 and 300 K. The dielectric process, attributed to a local (β) relaxation of the confined supercooled water, shows an Arrhenius temperature behavior at low temperatures. In the case of the most hydrated PM a small deviation from the Arrhenius behavior occurs at 190-200 K together with a pronounced endothermic process and an increased activation energy. The observed crossover is accompanied by a reduction of the interlayer spacing due to the partial loss of the intermembrane water. All these effects at ∼200 K are consistent with a scenario where the local relaxation process merges with a nonobservable α-relaxation of the interlayer water, giving rise to a more liquid-like behavior of the interfacial water. For the less hydrated sample the effects are less pronounced and shift to a slightly higher temperature. © 2005 by the Biophysical Society.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Annan teknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Other Engineering and Technologies (hsv//eng)

Publikations- och innehållstyp

art (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)