The influence of the lipid–protein interaction on the membrane dynamics

We have performed an incoherent neutron scattering investigation of the modification of dynamical properties of model membrane induced by the addition of the myelin basic proteins. Elastic (ENS) and quasi-elastic (QENS) neutron scattering experiments revealed that the addition of physiological amounts of MBP induces a change in the average proton membrane dynamics across the lipid gel to liquid-crystalline phase transition. In particular, the appearance of anisotropic motion has been observed at two different time scales (accessible with IN13 and IN16 high-energy resolution backscattering spectrometers at ILL, Grenoble). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.