Effect of Antifreeze Proteins on the Growth
and Melting Kinetics of Ice
Yeliz Celik1,
Natalya Pertaya1, Junjie Liu1,
Maya Bar2, Yangzhong Qin1, Di Xu1,
Peter L. Davies3, Ido Braslavsky1
1Ohio University,
2Weizmann Institute of Science
3Queen's University
Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) inhibit ice crystal growth and recrystallization. We have developed novel microfluidic devices capable of precise local temperature control in order to grow single ice crystals. These devices allow us to expose an ice crystal to an adjustable AFP concentration. We have used microfluidics in conjunction with fluorescence microscopy to examine the affinities of hyperactive AFP have to specific ice planes in comparison with those of a moderately active fish AFP. We also demonstrate that hyperactive AFPs bind irreversibly to ice surfaces. The direct visualization of AFP on ice using the microfluidic devices reveal the kinetics of attachment of these proteins to ice surfaces, as well as their concentration effects and facet preferences.