Investigation of the molecular motion of spin-labeled lysozyme in solution by the use of ESP spectra and electron spin relaxation

The theory of electron spin relaxation in protein solutions taking into account the “two-motion” model of spin label mobility is developed. The relations obtained for the longitudinal and transverse relaxation rates describe the experimental results better than isotropic (“one-motion”) model. The mechanism of longitudinal relaxation in solution of spin-labeled lysozyme is revealed and the correlation time of the inherent motion of spin label is evaluated. The linewidth analysis and study of ESR spectra under viscosity variation were used to obtain the microdynamical parameters characterizing lysozyme molecular mobility. A discrepancy between the correlation time values obtained by viscosity-variation-technique and the results known from other methods is found and ascribed to the manifestation of the intermediate time-scale mobility of protein.