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Protein crystals and their growth
1Universities Space Research Association at Marshall Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Mail Code SD46, Huntsville, AL 35812, USA. alex.chernov@msfc.nasa.gov <alex.chernov@msfc.nasa.gov>
Journal of Structural Biology
|April 30, 2003
Summary
This review explores protein crystal properties, including lattice associations, surface energy, and mechanical strength. It also covers protein solubility, nucleation, growth, and defect formation in crystallization.
Area of Science:
- Crystallography
- Materials Science
- Biophysics
Background:
- Protein crystallization is crucial for structural biology.
- Understanding crystal properties informs therapeutic development.
- Macromolecular crystal perfection is key for research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review associations between protein molecules in crystal lattices.
- To discuss crystal-solution surface energy, elastic properties, and strength.
- To explore nucleation, growth, solubility, and defect formation in protein crystallization.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent results.
- Discussion of basic approaches to protein solubility.
- Overview of crystal nucleation and growth principles.
Main Results:
- Variability in mixing can influence crystal number in batch crystallization.
- The kinetic coefficient relates to crystal growth rate.
- Impurities and convection impact macromolecular crystal perfection.
Conclusions:
- Protein crystal properties are interconnected.
- Crystallization parameters significantly affect crystal quality.
- Further research on defect formation is warranted.