title: The role of oil in macromolecular crystallization.
abstract: The different facets of the utilization of oil demonstrate that an individual oil and/or combinations of different oils can influence the outcome of crystallization experiments. The oil can play a part in the control of nucleation, affect the rate of equilibration and consequently determine the size of the forming crystals. Whether used for microbatch, vapour diffusion or for control of nucleation, the presence of oil is a parameter that can contribute to the accuracy, cleanliness and to the increase in the reproducibility of the experiments. Furthermore, the oil has a role in the protection of the trials during the course of their duration and in maintaining the stability of the resulting crystals.
authors.affiliation: Biophysics Section, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Chayen
mesh_terms: D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D003460:Crystallization; D004058:Diffusion; D006093:Gram-Positive Asporogenous Rods / Q000201:enzymology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051379:Mice; D009821:Oils; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013549:Sweetening Agents
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009821:Oils; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D013549:Sweetening Agents; C003427:thaumatin protein, plant; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase