Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization01:25

Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization

5.4K
Crystallization is a phase transformation process in which crystals are precipitated from a supersaturated solution or formed from other sources. During crystallization, atoms or molecules arrange themselves into a well-defined, rigid crystal lattice to minimize energy.
Initiating crystallization involves manipulating the concentration of the solute and the temperature of the solution. Since crystal growth occurs when the ratio of concentration and solubility of the solute in the solvent...
5.4K
Recrystallization: Solid–Solution Equilibria01:10

Recrystallization: Solid–Solution Equilibria

4.2K
Recrystallization is a purification technique used to separate impurities from solid compounds. In this technique, no chemical reactions occur. Instead, it exploits physical properties only, specifically, the solubility differences between the desired compound and impurities, either at a single temperature or at different temperatures, and under other selected conditions. The solid-solution equilibrium (solubility equilibrium) of each component in the solution represents a binary phase...
4.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A note on the appearance of PEG in macromolecular crystals.

Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology communications·2025
Same author

The growth of microcrystals for time resolved serial crystallography.

Methods in enzymology·2024
Same author

Structures of additional crystal forms of Satellite tobacco mosaic virus grown from a variety of salts.

Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology communications·2021
Same author

The crystal structure of the β subunit of luteinizing hormone and a model for the intact hormone.

Current research in structural biology·2021
Same author

Structures of two novel crystal forms of Aspergillus oryzae alpha amylase (taka-amylase).

Journal of bioscience and bioengineering·2021
Same author

Crystal structure of a proteolytically cleaved, amino terminal domain of apolipoprotein E3.

Biochemical and biophysical research communications·2020
Same journal

Tracking Synthetic Adhesins on Bacterial Surfaces with Immunofluorescence Microscopy.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same journal

Post-Selection Methods for Analyzing mRNA Display Selections and Optimization of Hits.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same journal

High-Performance Computing in Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS/MS) Peptide Identification.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same journal

Engineering and Adapting Disulfide-Containing Proteins to Enable Intracellular Functionality.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same journal

AI-Driven Protein Research: From Prediction to Design.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same journal

Methods for the In Vitro Selection of Protein and Peptide Libraries Using mRNA Display.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Protein Crystallization for X-ray Crystallography
09:27

Protein Crystallization for X-ray Crystallography

Published on: January 16, 2011

65.6K

Protein Crystallization.

Alexander McPherson1

  • 1Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697-3900, USA. amcphers@uci.edu.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|June 3, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Protein crystallization, a method for purifying biological molecules, relies on creating supersaturated solutions. Advances in screening kits and robotics have significantly improved success rates in recent years.

Keywords:
Crystallization methodsCrystalsDialysisGrowth mechanismsHomogeneityMother liquorPrecipitantsSupersaturationVapor diffusionX-ray diffraction

More Related Videos

High-Throughput Protein Crystallization via Microdialysis
06:18

High-Throughput Protein Crystallization via Microdialysis

Published on: March 3, 2023

3.0K
From Constructs to Crystals – Towards Structure Determination of β-barrel Outer Membrane Proteins
09:55

From Constructs to Crystals – Towards Structure Determination of β-barrel Outer Membrane Proteins

Published on: July 4, 2016

14.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Protein Crystallization for X-ray Crystallography
09:27

Protein Crystallization for X-ray Crystallography

Published on: January 16, 2011

65.6K
High-Throughput Protein Crystallization via Microdialysis
06:18

High-Throughput Protein Crystallization via Microdialysis

Published on: March 3, 2023

3.0K
From Constructs to Crystals – Towards Structure Determination of β-barrel Outer Membrane Proteins
09:55

From Constructs to Crystals – Towards Structure Determination of β-barrel Outer Membrane Proteins

Published on: July 4, 2016

14.2K

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Structural Biology
  • Crystallography

Background:

  • Protein crystallization, discovered nearly 200 years ago, is a key technique for demonstrating chemical purity and purifying macromolecules.
  • Crystallization of proteins, nucleic acids, and viruses requires supersaturated solutions under conditions that preserve the molecule's natural state.
  • Factors influencing crystallization include precipitating agents (salts, polymers), environmental parameters (temperature, pH, ionic strength), and molecular components (metal ions, cofactors).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of the principles and methods of protein crystallization.
  • To highlight the factors essential for successful macromolecular crystallization.
  • To discuss recent advancements that have accelerated progress in the field.

Main Methods:

  • Supersaturation is achieved by adding mild precipitating agents and adjusting parameters like temperature, ionic strength, and pH.
  • Various crystallization techniques are employed, including vapor diffusion, dialysis, batch crystallization, and liquid-liquid diffusion.
  • The process is influenced by specific molecular components such as metal ions, inhibitors, and cofactors.

Main Results:

  • The development of practical screening kits and laboratory robotics has dramatically increased the success rate of macromolecular crystallization.
  • These advancements have made the process more accessible and efficient for researchers.
  • A wide range of factors can be manipulated to optimize crystallization conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Macromolecular crystallization is a powerful tool for purification and structural determination.
  • Recent technological innovations have significantly enhanced the efficiency and accessibility of protein crystallization.
  • Continued advancements in screening and automation promise further progress in structural biology.