Proton and deuteron relaxation study of molecular dynamics in lysozyme solutions

A nuclear magnetic resonance spin-lattice relaxation dispersion study of the relaxation of several magnetization components in both natural and deuterated lysozyme solutions was undertaken at 20°C. Proton and deuteron resonances were employed. The two-dimensional time evolution of the magnetization and the spin-spin relaxation were analyzed. In addition, an isotopic dilution study was performed at 5 and 30.6 MHz. The results indicate that the water proton spin-lattice relaxation rate which arises from intermolecular relaxation between the water protons and the lysozyme protons represents a relatively strong relaxation mechanism. A model for the dynamics of the water molecules, consistent with the proton and deuteron dispersions as well as with the isotopic dilution results, is presented.