Type I Antifreeze Proteins Enhance Ice Nucleation above Certain Concentrations |
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| Authors: | Peter W. Wilson Katie E. Osterday Aaron F. Heneghan Anthony D. J. Haymet |
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| Affiliation: | From the ‡School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan.;the §Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, and ;the ¶Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53792 |
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| Abstract: | ![]()
In this study, we examined the effects that antifreeze proteins have on the supercooling and ice-nucleating abilities of aqueous solutions. Very little information on such nucleation currently exists. Using an automated lag time apparatus and a new analysis, we show several dilution series of Type I antifreeze proteins. Our results indicate that, above a concentration of ∼8 mg/ml, ice nucleation is enhanced rather than hindered. We discuss this unexpected result and present a new hypothesis outlining three components of polar fish blood that we believe affect its solution properties in certain situations. |
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| Keywords: | Blood Glycoprotein Peptide Conformation Peptide Interactions Plasma Protein Chemistry Antifreeze Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation |
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