Preferential Exclusion and Hydration Dynamics in Compatible Osmolyte Solutions

Compatible osmolytes are a broad class of small organic molecules employed by living systems to combat environmental stress by enhancing native protein structure. The molecular features which make for a superior biopreservation remain elusive. Through use of time resolved and steady state spectroscopic techniques, in combination with molecular simulation, insight into what makes one molecule a more effective compatible osmolyte can be gained. Disaccharides differing only in their glycosodic bonds can exhibit different degrees of stabilization against thermal denaturation. The degree to which each sugar is preferentially excluded may explain these differences.