Three-dimensional simulation of ice growth in the presence of antifreeze proteins

Abstract

A Monte Carlo computational method for simulating the growth of entire ice crystals from the liquid phase has been developed specifically to study the inhibition of ice-crystal growth by antifreeze proteins (AFPs). AFPs are found in the fluids of certain organisms that inhabit freezing environments and constrain ice-crystal growth by adsorbtion to the ice surface, but their inhibition mechanism is still poorly understood. Thus, it was of interest to incorporate these molecules into the dynamic ice simulations to examine the inhibition phenomenon on a whole-crystal basis. We have undertaken simulations with AFPs from two different organisms that differ in activity; the insect AFP has up to 100 times the activity of the fish AFP on a molar basis. Simulations involving insect and fish AFPs have achieved ice-growth inhibition at simulation temperatures within reported activity ranges for both fish and insect AFPs, accompanied by resulting ice morphologies similar to those observed experimentally. These results, as well as other studies on ice-etching patterns and ice burst growth at temperatures below known AFP ice-growth inhibition abilities suggest that AFP activity is dominated by the AFP ice-binding position rather than AFP ice-binding strength. PACS No.: 07.05T