Protein-water dynamics in antifreeze protein III activity

- Antifreeze activity is found to be correlated with a change in hydrogen bond dynamics.
- The 'hydration funnel', i.e. a retardation of hydration bond dynamics toward the ice binding site is found to be a general phenomena for antifreeze proteins.
- Cosolutes, such as sodium citrate influence the hydrogen bond dynamics and increase the antifreeze activity of the protein.
- Using THz absorption spectroscopy we can state that sodium citrate has a local, direct interaction with the protein.
- Whereas changes in the collective hydrogen bond dynamics are a necessary condition for antifreeze activity, the local mechanism determines the size of the antifreeze activity.