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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Optimization of Crystal Growth for Neutron Macromolecular Crystallography
Published on: March 13, 2021
A methodology and an instrument for the temperature-controlled optimization of crystal growth
M Budayova-Spano1, F Dauvergne, M Audiffren
1EMBL Grenoble-Outstation, 6 Rue Jules Horowitz, BP 156, CEDEX 9, Grenoble 38042, France. spano@embl-grenoble.fr
Abstract:
A method and a device for the promotion of crystal growth by keeping the crystallization solution metastable during the growth process are described. This is achieved by controlled temperature variation of the crystallization solution using parameters determined in situ during the growth process. The technique finds application in the growth of large high-quality crystals for neutron crystallography. Thus, it has been applied to grow large crystals of several proteins of interest such as human gamma-crystallin E, PA-IIL lectin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, yeast inorganic pyrophosphatase, urate oxidase from Aspergillus flavus and human carbonic anhydrase II.
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