title: Pattern formation and fluctuation-induced transitions in protein crystallization.
abstract: A kinetic model of protein crystallization accounting for the nucleation stage, the growth and competition of solid particles and the formation of macroscopic patterns is developed. Different versions are considered corresponding successively, to a continuous one-dimensional crystallization reactor, a coarse grained two-box model and a model describing the evolution of the space averaged values of fluid and solid material. The analysis brings out the high multiplicity of the patterns. It provides information on their stability as well as on the kinetics of transitions between different states under the influence of the fluctuations.
authors.affiliation: Center for Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems, Université Libre de Bruxelles, C.P. 231, Bvd. du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gregoire
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicolis
authors.forename: Vasileios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Basios
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nicolis
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D007700:Kinetics; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000737:chemistry*; D044367:Phase Transition; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D011506:Proteins