Crystallization methods used in protein crystallogenesis

Ivana Kutá Smatanová^1,2

¹Institute of Physical Biology University of South Bohemia Ceske Budejovice, Zamek 136, 373 33 Nove Hrady, Czech Republic

²Institute of Systems Biology and Ecology Academy of Science of the Czech Republic, Zamek 136, 373 33 Nove Hrady, Czech Republic

e-mail: ivas@greentech.cz

Finding suitable crystallization conditions is the main problem to solve a protein structure by X-ray diffraction techniques.

In this lecture:

classical crystallization techniques based on evaporation used for screening and optimization of crystallization conditions utilizing the screening upon previously successful chemical cocktails,

advanced counter-diffusion technique that allows the screening for crystallization conditions in a wide range of supersaturation while suppressing concentration, of protein and precipitant,

cross-crystallization procedure based on using additives to modify crystal morphology and to improve diffraction quality,

will be discussed.

Literature:

Ivana Tomčová and Ivana Kutá Smatanová: Copper co-crystallization and divalent metal salts cross-influence effect – a new optimisation tool improving crystal morphology and diffraction quality. Journal of Crystal Growth, accepted for publication (2007)

Ivana Tomčová and Ivana Kutá Smatanová: Cross-crystallization as a new optimization tool of crystallization procedures. Materials Structure 14, 1, 3-5 (2007).

Ivana Kutá Smatanová, José A. Gavira, Pavlína Řezáčová, František Vácha, and Juan M. García-Ruiz: New techniques for membrane protein crystallization tested on photosystem II core complex of Pisum sativum. Photosynthesis Research 90 (3), 255-259 (2006).

Ivana Tomčová, Rui Miguel Mamede Branca, Gabriella Bodó, Csaba Bagyinka, and Ivana Kutá Smatanová: Cross-crystallization and preliminary diffraction analysis of a novel di-heme cytochrome c₄. Acta Cryst. F62, 820-824 (2006).

Julie Wolfova, Rita Grandori, Erika Kozma, Neal Chatterjee, Jannette Carey and Ivana Kuta Smatanova: Crystallization of the flavoprotein WrbA optimized by using additives and gels. Journal of Crystal Growth 284, 3-4, 502-505 (2005).

This work is supported by the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic (MSM6007665808 and LC06010) and by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (AVOZ60870520).