1. Practical Physics Behind Growing Crystals of Biological Macromolecules
- Author
-
Roger Morin, Nadine Candoni, Zoubida Hammadi, Stéphane Veesler, Romain Grossier, Cinam, Hal, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille (CINaM), and Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- Subjects
Biophysics ,Nucleation ,Crystal growth ,Nanotechnology ,02 engineering and technology ,01 natural sciences ,Biochemistry ,Phase Transition ,law.invention ,Structural Biology ,law ,Phase (matter) ,0103 physical sciences ,Statistical physics ,Crystallization ,Phase diagram ,010302 applied physics ,Physics ,Chemistry ,Temperature ,Proteins ,General Medicine ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Solubility ,0210 nano-technology ,Protein crystallization - Abstract
The aim of this review is to provide biocrystallographers who intend to tackle protein-crystallization with the- ory and practical examples. Crystallization involves two separate processes, nucleation and growth, which are rarely com- pletely unconnected. Here we give theoretical background and concrete examples illustrating protein crystallization. We describe the nucleation of a new phase, solid or liquid, and the growth and transformation of existing crystals obtained by primary or secondary nucleation or by seeding. Above all, we believe that a thorough knowledge of the phase diagram is vital to the selection of starting position and path for any crystallization experiment.
- Published
- 2012