Characterization of the structural and dynamic properties of hydration water around F-actin detected by neutron and X-ray scattering

Matsuo, Tatsuhito; Arata, Toshiaki*; Oda, Toshiro*; Fujiwara, Satoru

The structural and dynamic properties of hydration water around F-actin and myosin S1 were investigated using small-angle neutron/X-ray scattering and quasi-elastic neutron scattering. S1 was shown to have typical hydration water, which has 10-15% higher average density with lower mobility than bulk water. On the other hand, F-actin was shown to have hydration water with unusual properties: the average density of the hydration water is at least 19% higher than that of bulk water and mobility is close to that of bulk water. These results indicate the diversity of hydration shell around proteins in terms of both structural and dynamic properties. The unusual hydration water around F-actin may be related to the suggested existence of "hyper-mobile water" around F-actin.