Experimental mapping of short-wavelength phonons in proteins

Graphical abstract

Phonons are quasi-particles, observed as lattice vibrations in periodic materials, that often dampen in the presence of structural perturbations. Nevertheless, phonon-like collective excitations exist in highly complex systems, such as proteins, although the origin of such collective motions has remained elusive. Here we present a picture of temperature and hydration dependence of collective excitations in green fluorescent protein (GFP) obtained by inelastic neutron scattering. Our results provide evidence that such excitations can be used as a measure of flexibility/softness and are possibly associated with the protein’s activity.

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xinn.2021.100199

Citation:
Shrestha U., Mamontov E., O’Neill H., et al. (2021). Experimental Mapping of Short-wavelength Phonons in Protein. The Innovation. 3(1),100199.