Investigation of Large Intramolecular Movements within Metmyoglobin by Rayleigh Scattering of Mössbauer Radiation (RSMR)

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Abstract
This paper reports Rayleigh scattering experiments on [sperm whale] metmyoglobin crystals and freeze dried myoglobin which was exposed to air with different partial pressure of water vapor. While dry myoglobin shows no fluctuations between conformational substates, such breathing modes are rarely seen in water-covered myoglobin. Larger amounts of water increase the average mean square displacements. In crystal the dynamic behavior is hindered by the crystal packing. The results are analyzed by a theory describing the motion within the molecule by a Langevin equation with restoring forces corresponding to a square well potential.