title: Simulation of two-dimensional streptavidin crystallization.
abstract: We present lattice Monte Carlo simulations of the growth of streptavidin islands at a biotinylated lipid layer. The model employed takes into account attractive anisotropic lateral interactions between streptavidin tetramers. With a minimal set of interactions, we reproduce the formation of rectangular islands experimentally observed at pH > or = 9.0. Specifically, we analyze two scenarios of the island growth. First, if streptavidin is rapidly adsorbed at t = 0 (stepwise coverage change without ongoing adsorption), the average linear island size is found to grow according to the Lifshitz-Slyozov law, R proportional to t(1/3). Second, if the island growth occurs in parallel with streptavidin adsorption limited by diffusion in the solution, the Lifshitz-Slyozov law is also applicable, but only at the late stage, when the streptavidin coverage is appreciable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden. zhdanov@catalysis.nsk.su
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Zhdanov
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Höök
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kasemo
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016880:Anisotropy; D019921:Biotinylation; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization; D004058:Diffusion; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011487:Protein Conformation; D019809:Streptavidin / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D019809:Streptavidin