Open AccessManipulation and growth of birefringent protein crystals in optical tweezers
Author(s) -
Wolfgang Singer,
Halina RubinszteinDunlop,
Ursula Gibson
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.12.006440
Subject(s) - optical tweezers , birefringence , optics , materials science , optical axis , optical rotation , wavelength , polarizer , rotation (mathematics) , perpendicular , diffraction , lysozyme , optoelectronics , chemistry , physics , lens (geology) , geometry , mathematics , biochemistry
We report on the trapping, rotation, and in-situ growth of birefringent tetragonal lysozyme crystals in optical tweezers operating at a wavelength of 1070 nm. Variation of the pH and lysozyme concentration of the solution during growth was used to alter the length to width ratio of the crystals, and hence their orientation in the tweezers. Crystals with the optical axis skewed or perpendicular to the trapping-beam axis could be rotated by changing the orientation of linearly polarized light. We observed spontaneous spinning of some asymmetric crystals in the presence of linearly polarized light, due to radiation pressure effects. Addition of protein to the solution in the tweezers permitted real-time observation of crystal growth.