The Neutron Spin Echo Spectrometer at SNS and its Biophysics Applications

Abstract

The SNS-NSE instrument at the Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the ultrahigh resolution neutron spin echo spectrometer for characterizing the slow dynamics of soft condensed matter. Due to its situation at a pulsating neutron source and several unique features specific only for the SNS-NSE, high data collection efficiency is achieved allowing nearly gapless coverage of a broad wave-vector-time-range with only a few scattering angle settings. The SNS-NSE instrument is particularly suitable to investigate slow dynamical processes and unravel molecular motions at nanoscopic and mesoscopic scale in biophysics and biochemistry. Investigation of macromolecular assemblies of great importance to human health is one of primary applications of the SNS-NSE, attracting users with interest in biophysics and medical science all over the world. Neutron Spin Echo technique can be successfully applied to access the domain dynamics of proteins and enzyme's, domain dynamics that is strongly related with folding-unfolding processes within proteins1-2 and enzymatic/catalytic reactions in enzymes. Studies of lipid systems and biological membranes are also carried out at SNS-NSE to investigate how cell membranes organize proteins and lipids to accomplish vital physiological processes3-4, and to observe the disruptive effects of anti-inflammatory medication on membrane cell organization and the transport process thru cell membranes5. 1. Scientific Reports 2016, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep22148; 2. J. of Mol. Biol. 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmb.2017.03.003; 3. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5b08894; 4. Scientific Reports, 6, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep19627; 5. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2017, dx.doi.org/10.1039/C6CP06202D.