title: Understanding salt or PEG induced attractive interactions to crystallize biological macromolecules.
abstract: Phase diagrams of biological macromolecules are governed by an appropriate combination of interaction potentials in solution. Repulsive regimes favor solubility, whereas the presence of attractive potentials may induce a variety of phase transitions, including the desired macromolecular crystallization. The forces at work may be analyzed with a combination of small angle X-ray scattering and of numerical treatments. From the results obtained with a variety of model systems, the respective advantages and drawbacks of using monovalent salts or PEGs as crystallizing agents are discussed.
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012492:Salts; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012996:Solutions; D014503:Urate Oxidase / Q000737:chemistry; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D012492:Salts; D012996:Solutions; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D014503:Urate Oxidase