Advertisement

If you have an ACS member number, please enter it here so we can link this account to your membership. (optional)

ACS values your privacy. By submitting your information, you are gaining access to C&EN and subscribing to our weekly newsletter. We use the information you provide to make your reading experience better, and we will never sell your data to third party members.

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCES TO C&EN

Materials

New Roles For Antifreeze Proteins

Scientists extend repertoire of antifreeze biomolecules from water to a commercially important sugar

by Stu Borman
June 30, 2014 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 92, Issue 26

[+]Enlarge
Credit: J. Am. Chem. Soc.
MDM crystallization is noticeably different in the absence (top) and presence of antifreeze glycoproteins, as seen in these optical micrographs. Scale bars are 1 mm, and inset (bottom) is 1.5 times regular size.MDM crystallization is noticeably different in the absence (top) and presence of antifreeze glycoproteins, as seen in these optical micrographs. Scale bars are 1mm, and inset (bottom) is 1.5 times regular size.
Optical micrographs of MDM crystals formed in the absence (top) and presence of antifreeze glycoproteins.
Credit: J. Am. Chem. Soc.
MDM crystallization is noticeably different in the absence (top) and presence of antifreeze glycoproteins, as seen in these optical micrographs. Scale bars are 1 mm, and inset (bottom) is 1.5 times regular size.MDM crystallization is noticeably different in the absence (top) and presence of antifreeze glycoproteins, as seen in these optical micrographs. Scale bars are 1mm, and inset (bottom) is 1.5 times regular size.

Researchers report for the first time that antifreeze proteins and glycoproteins—used up to now only to control ice crystal growth—can also control formation of other types of crystals, including those of carbohydrates. The antifreeze biomolecules work by binding to specific ice crystal faces that they resemble structurally. Sen Wang of Stanford University; Xin Wen of California State University, Los Angeles; and coworkers speculated that they might also work with the pyranose sugar methyl α-D-mannopyranoside (MDM), with which they are also structurally compatible. They show that MDM crystals grown in the presence of antifreeze proteins and glycoproteins are smaller, have better defined shapes, and have fewer crystal defects than those formed without antifreeze proteins and glycoproteins and that only tiny amounts (molar ratios as low as 10–7) of the biomolecules are needed to control growth (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, DOI: 10.1021/ja502837t). MDM crystals are widely used industrially in the synthesis of resins, plastics, and explosives. So using antifreeze proteins and glycoproteins to control crystal growth could be commercially useful, especially if the approach can also be extended to other industrially important crystals.

Article:

This article has been sent to the following recipient:

0 /1 FREE ARTICLES LEFT THIS MONTH Remaining
Chemistry matters. Join us to get the news you need.