Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 13 July 1984:
Vol. 225. no. 4658, pp. 203 - 204
DOI: 10.1126/science.225.4658.203
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Materials

Protein Single Crystal Growth Under Microgravity

WALTER LITTKE 1 and CHRISTINA JOHN 1

1 Chemisches Laboratorium der Universität Freiburg, D-7800 Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany

The preparation of suitably large protein single crystals is essentially the rate-determining step of protein x-ray structure determinations. Attempts to produce single crystals with two model compounds—beta-galactosidase and lysozyme—under conditions of microgravity were successful. Crystals formed by salting out from solutions kept free of convection were 27 and 1000 times larger in volume, respectively, than those produced in the same apparatus but exposed to terrestrial gravitation.

Submitted on March 27, 1984
Accepted on May 30, 1984


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Protein crystal growth in microgravity.
L. DeLucas, C. Smith, H. Smith, S Vijay-Kumar, S. Senadhi, S. Ealick, D. Carter, R. Snyder, P. Weber, F. Salemme, et al. (1989)
Science 246, 651-654
   Abstract »    PDF »
Crystals in Space.
R. J. NAUMANN, R. S. SNYDER, C. E. BUGG, L. J. DELUCAS, and F. L. SUDDATH (1985)
Science 230, 375-376
   PDF »
The Great Crystal Caper: Chemists debate whether it makes scientific sense to try to grow macromolecular crystals in space.
G. KOLATA (1985)
Science 229, 370-371
   PDF »
The Spacelab Experience: A Synopsis.
C. R. CHAPPELL and K. KNOTT (1984)
Science 225, 163-165
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)