2005/01/31 by Maikel C. Rheinstädter, Tilo Seydel, F. Demmel +2
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Physics and Astronomy · #Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior #Protein Structure and Dynamics #Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical Studies #cond-mat.soft
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreve.71.061908
published as Phys. Rev. E 71, 061908 (2005)
arxiv created 2005/04/17 · openalex publication_date 2005/06/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We report a high energy-resolution neutron backscattering study to investigate slow motions on nanosecond time scales in highly oriented solid supported phospholipid bilayers of the model system DMPC-d54 (deuterated 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phoshatidylcholine), hydrated with heavy water. This technique allows to discriminate the onset of mobility at different length scales for the different molecular components, as, e.g., the lipid acyl-chains and the hydration water in between the membrane stacks, respectively, and provides a benchmark test regarding the feasibility of neutron backscattering investigations on these sample systems. We discuss freezing of the lipid acyl-chains, as observed by this technique, and observe a second freezing transition which we attribute to the hydration water.