disuccinimidyl glutarate (DSG), urea, sodium chloride (NaCl), phosphate-buffered
saline (PBS, powder, pH 7.4, for preparing 1 L solutions), and dimethyl
sulfoxide were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich. Disuccinimidyl suberate
(DSS) was purchased from Acros Organics. Deionized water was obtained
from a Thermo Scientific apparatus (Barnstead TII Pure Water System).
Deuterium oxide (D2O, 99.9% D), deuterated urea (D4, 98%
D), and deuterated dimethyl sulfoxide (d6-DMSO, 99.8% D) were obtained from Eurisotop and used without further
purification. Deuterated PBS (d-PBS) powder was prepared
from hydrogenated PBS powder by exchanging the hydrogen atoms for
deuterium, dissolving the salts in D2O, followed by freeze-drying.
Similarly, the BSA for SANS was dissolved in D2O to remove
exchangeable protons, and after 1 day of incubation, the solution
was lyophilized. This process was performed twice.