High-resolution neutron spectroscopy using backscattering and neutron spin-echo spectrometers in soft and hard condensed matter

Gardner, J. S.; Ehlers, Georg; Faraone, Antonio; Sakai, Victoria García

doi:10.1038/s42254-019-0128-1

Cited by 51 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 157 publications

(179 reference statements)

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“…For example, dynamic light scattering is more suitable to study motions at time scales of the order of microseconds while quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) is suitable to study dynamics from nanoseconds to sub-picoseconds and length scales from Angstroms to a few nanometers (Gardner et al, 2020). Furthermore, neutron spin echo (NSE) is more suitable to prove the relatively slower motions, up to 0.1 µs, taking place at large spatial scales, up to 0.1 µm (Gardner et al, 2020). It is therefore evident that to obtain the detailed dynamical landscape one needs to combine results from different experimental methods.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced Microscopic Dynamics of a Liver Lipid Membrane in the Presence of an Ionic Liquid

et al. 2020

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Ionic liquids (ILs) are an important class of emerging compounds, owing to their widespread industrial applications in high-performance lubricants for food and cellulose processing, despite their toxicity to living organisms. It is believed that this toxicity is related to their actions on the cellular membrane. Hence, it is vital to understand the interaction of ILs with cell membranes. Here, we report on the effects of an imidazolium-based IL, 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (DMIM[BF4]), on the microscopic dynamics of a membrane formed by liver extract lipid, using quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS). The presence of significant quasielastic broadening indicates that stochastic molecular motions of the lipids are active in the system. Two distinct molecular motions, (i) lateral motion of the lipid within the membrane leaflet and (ii) localized internal motions of the lipid, are found to contribute to the QENS broadening. While the lateral motion could be described assuming continuous diffusion, the internal motion is explained on the basis of localized translational diffusion. Incorporation of the IL into the liver lipid membrane is found to enhance the membrane dynamics by accelerating both lateral and internal motions of the lipids. This indicates that the IL induces disorder in the membrane and enhances the fluidity of lipids. This could be explained on the basis of its location in the lipid membrane. Results are compared with various other additives and we provide an indication of a possible correlation between the effects of guest molecules on the dynamics of the membrane and its location within the membrane.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced Microscopic Dynamics of a Liver Lipid Membrane in the Presence of an Ionic Liquid

et al. 2020

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“…With these new capabilities [8][9][10], changes down to the level of the fs timescale will be accessible, far outpacing the state-of-the-art in XPCS at the μs timescale. This also compares favorably with inelastic neutron scattering methods, which cover the range from ps (through energy-resolved measurements) to 100 s of ns and, in some cases, μs through neutron spin echo spectroscopy [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

A snapshot review—Fluctuations in quantum materials: from skyrmions to superconductivity

et al. 2021

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By measuring a linear response function directly, such as the dynamic susceptibility, one can understand fundamental material properties. However, a fresh perspective can be offered by studying fluctuations. This can be related back to the dynamic susceptibility through the fluctuation–dissipation theorem, which relates the fluctuations in a system to its response, an alternate route to access the physics of a material. Here, we describe a new X-ray tool for material characterization that will offer an opportunity to uncover new physics in quantum materials using this theorem. We provide details of the method and discuss the requisite analysis techniques in order to capitalize on the potential to explore an uncharted region of phase space. This is followed by recent results on a topological chiral magnet, together with a discussion of current work in progress. We provide a perspective on future measurements planned for work in unconventional superconductivity. Graphical abstract We describe a new X-ray tool for material characterization that will offer an opportunity to uncover new physics in quantum materials using coherent, short-pulsed X-rays. We provide details of the method and discuss the requisite analysis techniques in order to capitalize on the potential to explore an uncharted region of phase space. This is followed by recent results on a topological chiral magnet, together with a discussion of current work in progress. We provide a perspective on future measurements planned for work in unconventional superconductivity.

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“…However, an NSE spectrometer measures dynamics at higher-energy resolution than the other QENS instruments such as the time-of-flight and backscattering spectrometers (40)(41)(42). An advanced NSE spectrometer is capable of determining the dynamics on nanometer length scales and on nanosecond to submicrosecond timescales in a protein (43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49)(50). When combined with selective deuteration and theoretical physics analyses, NSE is uniquely suited to measure the dynamics of multidomain proteins and the multicomponent protein complex (44,51).…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Activated nanoscale actin-binding domain motion in the catenin–cadherin complex revealed by neutron spin echo spectroscopy

Faragó

Nicholl

Wang

et al. 2021

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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As the core component of the adherens junction in cell–cell adhesion, the cadherin–catenin complex transduces mechanical tension between neighboring cells. Structural studies have shown that the cadherin–catenin complex exists as an ensemble of flexible conformations, with the actin-binding domain (ABD) of α-catenin adopting a variety of configurations. Here, we have determined the nanoscale protein domain dynamics of the cadherin–catenin complex using neutron spin echo spectroscopy (NSE), selective deuteration, and theoretical physics analyses. NSE reveals that, in the cadherin–catenin complex, the motion of the entire ABD becomes activated on nanosecond to submicrosecond timescales. By contrast, in the α-catenin homodimer, only the smaller disordered C-terminal tail of ABD is moving. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations also show increased mobility of ABD in the cadherin–catenin complex, compared to the α-catenin homodimer. Biased MD simulations further reveal that the applied external forces promote the transition of ABD in the cadherin–catenin complex from an ensemble of diverse conformational states to specific states that resemble the actin-bound structure. The activated motion and an ensemble of flexible configurations of the mechanosensory ABD suggest the formation of an entropic trap in the cadherin–catenin complex, serving as negative allosteric regulation that impedes the complex from binding to actin under zero force. Mechanical tension facilitates the reduction in dynamics and narrows the conformational ensemble of ABD to specific configurations that are well suited to bind F-actin. Our results provide a protein dynamics and entropic explanation for the observed force-sensitive binding behavior of a mechanosensitive protein complex.

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High-resolution neutron spectroscopy using backscattering and neutron spin-echo spectrometers in soft and hard condensed matter

Abstract: Neutron spectroscopy is a powerful probe to study the dynamics in materials. This Technical Review assesses the state-of-the-art experimental spectroscopic methods optimized to provide high-energy resolution, which can reveal dynamic processes on the picosecond and nanosecond time scales.

Cited by 51 publications

References 157 publications

Enhanced Microscopic Dynamics of a Liver Lipid Membrane in the Presence of an Ionic Liquid

Enhanced Microscopic Dynamics of a Liver Lipid Membrane in the Presence of an Ionic Liquid

A snapshot review—Fluctuations in quantum materials: from skyrmions to superconductivity

Activated nanoscale actin-binding domain motion in the catenin–cadherin complex revealed by neutron spin echo spectroscopy

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