Crystallization of macromolecules in silica gels.
Procedures are described for the crystallization of proteins, nucleic acids and viruses in a silica-gel matrix using otherwise standard reagents and conditions. Methods are given based on both vapor diffusion in a sitting drop and liquid-liquid diffusion. Using a variety of macromolecules our results suggest that the gel matrix suppresses nucleation, reduces the rate of growth, and generally leads to larger, higher-quality crystals of enhanced stability. Presumably these effects arise from the decreased mobility of the macromolecules and their flux at the crystal surface during growth.
University of California Riverside, Department of Biochemistry, 92521, USA.
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R
Cudney
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S
Patel
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McPherson