Experimental simulation of macromolecules in trehalose aqueous solutions: A photon correlation spectroscopy study

Abstract

The protective effect of trehalose on biological membranes against freezing or dehydration has been the subject of many studies aimed to understand the reasons why some lower organisms, under stress conditions, synthesize trehalose. In this work we report the results of a study on Poly(Ethylene Oxide)/trehalose/water mixtures performed by PhotonCorrelation Spectroscopy. The chemical structure of the polymer, simpler than that of proteins and its helical conformation in water, constitute a useful starting point for understanding the more complex protein/trehalose/water interactions. In order to distinguish the different dynamics, trehalose and PEO have been studied separately in water, at different concentration and temperature values; then the ternary PEO/trehalose/water system has been investigated at different sugar amounts. The obtained findings support the “water-replacement” hypothesis, indicating that a direct polymer–trehalose interaction occurs. Furthermore, trehalose is shown to affect the swelling properties of the polymer with temperature, stabilizing its conformation.