Adaptation to extreme environments: macromolecular dynamics in bacteria compared in vivo by neutron scattering.

Mean macromolecular dynamics was quantified in vivo by neutron scattering in psychrophile, mesophile, thermophile and hyperthermophile bacteria. Root mean square atomic fluctuation amplitudes determining macromolecular flexibility were found to be similar for each organism at its physiological temperature ( approximately 1 A in the 0.1 ns timescale).