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Influence of double scattering in determination of rotational diffusion coefficients by depolarized dynamic light scattering: Application to the bacteriophages T7 and T4B
Author(s) -
Hopman P. C.,
Koopmans G.,
Greve J.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
biopolymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.556
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1097-0282
pISSN - 0006-3525
DOI - 10.1002/bip.1980.360190609
Subject(s) - rotational diffusion , scattering , chemistry , diffusion , light scattering , electrophoretic light scattering , anisotropy , intensity (physics) , optics , birefringence , dynamic light scattering , molecular physics , physics , quantum mechanics , nanoparticle
Dynamic light scattering experiments were performed on solutions of the bacteriophages T7 and T4B in order to obtain the rotational diffusion coefficients of these phages. Correlation functions were determined from the depolarized intensity scattered in the forward direction. The apparatus used in this study is described in detail. Particular attention is paid to the minimalization of the depolarized intensity due to double scattering. If double scattering cannot be neglected, the correlation function of the depolarized field is the sum of the correlation functions resulting from single and double scattering. It is shown that by correcting for double scattering, it is then possible to obtain the rotational diffusion coefficient of the macromolecules. Although the optical anisotropy of both T4B (retracted fibers) and T7 is very small, the experimental conditions could be chosen in such a way that no depolarized scattering due to double scattering was observed. The measured rotational diffusion coefficients for T4B and T7 are D R 20, w= 258 ± 12 and 4528 ± 100 sec −1 , respectively. These values compare very well with those obtained by electric birefringence experiments.