Display Settings:

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

    Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 2008 Feb;64(Pt 2):189-97. Epub 2008 Jan 16.

    In situ X-ray analysis of protein crystals in low-birefringent and X-ray transmissive plastic microchannels.

    Ng JD, Clark PJ, Stevens RC, Kuhn P.

    Department of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.

    Plastic microchannel crystallization template designs made from inexpensive cyclic olefin copolymers have been shown to be low-birefringent, X-ray transmissive and compatible with microfluidic fabrication in restricted geometry. The model proteins thaumatin, lysozyme and bacteriorhodopsin demonstrated the feasibility of conducting counter-diffusion equilibration within the new plastic configuration. Crystals of each of these proteins were directly evaluated in situ using synchrotron radiation and their diffraction quality was evaluated without invasive manipulation or cryofreezing. Protein crystals able to produce complete X-ray data sets were used to calculate electron-density maps for structure determination. Fluidic crystallization in the plastic platform was also coupled with a commercialized automated imager and an in situ X-ray scanner that allowed optical and X-ray inspection of crystallization hits. The results demonstrate the feasibility of rapid nanovolume counter-diffusion crystallization experiments without the need for additional instrumentation.

    PMID: 18219119 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

    Supplemental Content

    Click here to read