Polythermal screening and production methods for macromolecular crystallization

Statistical methods for the objective design of screening procedures for macromolecular crystallization.

The crystallization of a new macromolecule is still very much a trial-and-error process. As is well known, it requires the search of a large parameter space of experimental settings to find the relatively few idiosyncratic conditions that lead to diffraction-quality crystals. Crystallographers have developed a variety of screens to help identify initial crystallization conditions, including tho...

Macromolecular crystallization in microgravity

Density difference fluid flows and sedimentation of growing crystals are greatly reduced when crystallization takes place in a reduced gravity environment. In the case of macromolecular crystallography a crystal of a biological macromolecule is used for diffraction experiments (x-ray or neutron) so as to determine the three-dimensional structure of the macromolecule. The better the internal ord...

Induction of Rules for Biological Macromolecular Crystallization

X-ray crystallography is the method of choice for determining the 3-D structure of large macromolecules at a high enough resolution. The rate limiting step in structure determination is the crystallization itself. It takes anywhere between a few weeks to several years to obtain macromolecular crystals that yield good diffraction patterns. The theory of forces that promote and maintain crystal g...

Current approaches to macromolecular crystallization.

Given our current expertise, and the certain future developments in genetically altering organisms to produce proteins of modified structure and function, the concept of protein engineering is nearing reality. Similarly, our ability to describe and utilize protein structure and to define interactions with ligands has made possible the rational design of new drugs and pharmacological agents. Eve...

Biomimetic and Bioinspired Crystallization with Macromolecular Additives