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X-ray transparent microfluidic platforms for membrane protein crystallization with microseeds

Journal Article · · Lab on a Chip
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/C7LC01141E· OSTI ID:1599433

Crystallization of membrane proteins is a critical step for uncovering atomic resolution 3-D structures and elucidating structure–function relationships. Microseeding, the process of transferring sub-microscopic crystal nuclei from initial screens into new crystallization experiments, is an effective, yet underutilized approach to grow crystals suitable for X-ray crystallography. In this work, we report simplified methods for crystallization of membrane proteins that utilize microseeding in X-ray transparent microfluidic chips. First, a microfluidic method for introduction of microseed dilutions into metastable crystallization experiments is demonstrated for photoactive yellow protein and cytochrome bo3 oxidase. As microseed concentration decreased, the number of crystals decreased while the average size increased. Second, we demonstrate a microfluidic chip for microseed screening, where many crystallization conditions were formulated on-chip prior to mixing with microseeds. Crystallization composition, crystal size, and diffraction data were collected and mapped on phase diagrams, which revealed that crystals of similar diffraction quality and size typically grow in distinct regions of the phase diagram.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Institutes of Health (NIH); USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Cancer Institute (NCI); National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1599433
Journal Information:
Lab on a Chip, Journal Name: Lab on a Chip Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 18; ISSN LCAHAM; ISSN 1473-0197
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH

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