Structured Water Molecules on Membrane Proteins Resolved by Atomic Force Microscopy

Water structuring on the outer surface of protein molecules called the hydration shell is essential as well as the internal water structures for higher-order structuring of protein molecules and their biological activities in vivo. We now show the molecular-scale hydration structure measurements of native purple membrane patches composed of proton pump proteins by a noninvasive three-dimensional force mapping technique based on frequency modulation atomic force microscopy. We successfully resolved the ordered water molecules localized near the proton uptake channels on the cytoplasmic side of the individual bacteriorhodopsin proteins in the purple membrane. We demonstrate that the three-dimensional force mapping can be widely applicable for molecular-scale investigations of the solid-liquid interfaces of various soft nanomaterials.