title: Physical aspects of protein crystal growth investigated with the Advanced Protein Crystallization Facility in reduced-gravity environments.
abstract: The physicochemical aspects of protein crystallization in reduced-gravity environments ( micro g) have been investigated with the Advanced Protein Crystallization Facility during six space missions. This review summarizes the results, dealing with the mechanisms of nucleation and crystal growth and with the quality of the crystals that were obtained under reduced gravity as well as under normal gravity on earth. Statistical analyses of the experimental data strongly support the fact that micro g has a positive effect on crystallization and on crystal quality. A comparison of experiments and theories of protein crystallization in reduced-gravity environments is presented. Recommendations for improving the performance of protein crystallization experiments in micro g and on earth are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Napoli Federico II, Monte S. Angelo, 80126 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lorber
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zagari
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giegé
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization; D003461:Crystallography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D009716:Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D013026:Space Flight; D018531:Spacecraft; D014893:Weightlessness
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins