Nuclear magnetic relaxation study of tobacco mosaic virus solutions.

The molecular order of water in liquid-crystalline 5-28% tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) solutions was studied by proton spin-spin, spin-lattice, and translational self-diffusion coefficient measurements at various concentrations as well as by deuteron D(2)O nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies. The results show that the average H(2)O molecule spends less than 1% of its time in an ordered state bound to the TMV backbone. The protons on the TMV molecules themselves, on the other hand have a very short spin-spin relaxation time T(2) of about 20 mus, demonstrating the existence of a high degree of liquid-crystalline order.