Ink-jet printer heads for ultra-small-drop protein crystallography

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Structural Biology
• Crystallography

Background:

• High-throughput protein crystallography requires precise and reliable methods for sample preparation.
• Automated dispensing systems are crucial for achieving speed and reproducibility in crystallization screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate mass-produced automated piezoelectric driven systems for protein crystallography.
• To demonstrate the application of these systems in setting under-oil crystallization experiments with various drop sizes.
• To report the successful dispensing of ultra-small 2 nL drops.

Main Methods:

• Utilized automated piezoelectric driven picoliter delivery systems (printer heads).
• Performed under-oil crystallization experiments with drop volumes ranging from 200 nL to 3 µL.
• Tested the capability of dispensing ultra-small 2 nL drops.

Main Results:

• Piezoelectric systems proved to be fast, inexpensive, and reliable for dispensing a wide range of volumes.
• Successful setup of under-oil crystallization experiments within the standard 200 nL to 3 µL range.
• Achieved the dispensing of 2 nL drops, representing the smallest volume reported for this assay.

Conclusions:

• Automated piezoelectric dispensing systems are well-suited for high-throughput protein crystallography.
• This technology enables novel ultra-small drop dispensing for enhanced crystallization screening.
• The systems offer a cost-effective and efficient solution for protein structure determination studies.