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Upside‐Down Protein Crystallization
Author(s) -
KHURSHID SAHIR,
CHAYEN NAOMI E.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1362.047
Subject(s) - crystallization , protein crystallization , volume (thermodynamics) , materials science , computer science , chemical engineering , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
The benefits of protein crystal growth in microgravity are well documented. The crystallization vessels currently employed for microgravity crystallization are far from optimal with regards to cost, sample volume, size, and ease of use. The use of microbatch experiments is a favorable alternative in each respect: 96 experiments of 0.5–2 μL volumes can be performed in a single microtiter tray measuring 5 × 8 cm and costing ££1 sterling each. To date, the use of microbatch has not been pursued on account of concerns of oil leakage. To address this issue, a novel approach to microbatch crystallization experiments is described, where the microbatch plates are inverted throughout the duration of the experiment. The findings intimate the application of the microbatch method to space flight and the potential to drastically increase the output of microgravity crystallization research .