X-ray scattering neutron scattering

Nakagawa, Hiroshi   ; Matsuo, Tatsuhito*

X-ray and neutron scattering are methods to reveal the structural state, assembly state, and intermolecular interactions of biomolecules in solution. Synchrotron X-rays provide highly accurate solution scattering data in a short time. Deuterated labeling can be used to make specific molecules invisible in neutron beams, allowing us to selectively observe only the molecules of interest in a molecular population. Neutron beams with energies comparable to thermal fluctuations are also suitable for measuring molecular motion. Although its application to the analysis of phase separation phenomena is currently limited, it is an effective method for analyzing phase separation states on the nano- to meso-scale and for studying the liquid-liquid phase separation.