Kenji Nagai *        
Kohei Imura Izumi Iwakura Kaoru Ohta Gen Sazaki Yuki Sudo
Shinsuke Takagi Hiromichi Niikura Satoshi Nishimura Tsuyoshi Fukaminato Yuichi Fujita

* 5Years

In-situ optical observation for elucidating antifreeze mechanism of water by proteins

Gen SAZAKI

Hokkaido University Institute of Low Temperature Science
Professor

URL : http://www.lowtem.hokudai.ac.jp/ptdice/index_e.html

Research Theme

Antifreeze proteins, which prevent freezing of animals, plants and microorgasms in the polar and near polar regions, have received much attention because of their plactical application to cryopreservation of food and body organs, in addition to fundamental interest in life. However antifreeze mechanisms still remains a matter of speculation. Hence, in this study, we develop advanced optical microscopy and try to observe directly both molecular steps and single antifreeze proteins on an ice crystal surface to reveal the mechanisms of antifreeze action.