Counterdiffusion protein crystallisation in microgravity and its observation with PromISS (protein microscope for the international space station)

Autor: Ingrid Zegers, Cedric Schockaert, L. Carotenuto, Christophe Minetti, Ronnie Willaert, Fermín Otálora, Catherine Yourassowsky, Jean Claude Legros, Philippe De Gieter, Christine Evrard, Patrick Queeckers, Luis Gonzales-Ramires, Eric Istasse, Frank Dubois, Cecile VandeWeerdt, Joseph Martial, Lode Wyns, JuanMa Garcia-Ruiz
Rok vydání: 2006
Předmět:
Zdroj: Microgravity - Science and Technology. 18:165-169
ISSN: 1875-0494
0938-0108
DOI: 10.1007/bf02870402
Popis: The cristallisation by counterdiffusion is a very efficient technique for obtaining high-quality protein crystals. A prerequisite for the use of counterdiffusion techniques is that mass transport must be controlled by diffusion alone. Sedimentation and convection can be avoided by either working in gelled systems, working in systems of small dimensions, or in the absence of gravity. We present the results from experiments performed on the ISS using the Protein Microscope for the International Space Station (PromISS), using digital holography to visualise crystal growth processes. We extensively characterised three model proteins for these experiments (cablys3*lysozyme, triose phosphate isomerase, and parvalbumin) and used these to assess the ISS as an environment for crystallisation by counterdififusion. The possibility to visualise growth and movement of crystals in different types of experiments (capillary counterdiffusion and batch-type) is important, as movement of crystals is clearly not negligible.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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