title: Nucleation of insulin crystals in a wide continuous supersaturation gradient.
abstract: Modifying the classical double pulse technique, by using a supersaturation gradient along an insulin solution contained in a glass capillary tube, we found conditions appropriate for the direct measurement of nucleation parameters. The nucleation time lag has been measured. Data for the number of crystal nuclei versus the nucleation time were obtained for this hormone. Insulin was chosen as a model protein because of the availability of solubility data in the literature. A comparison with the results for hen-egg-white lysozyme, HEWL was performed.
authors.affiliation: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., bl. 11, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria. apenkova@ipchp.ipc.bas.bg
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Penkova
authors.forename: Ivaylo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dimitrov
authors.forename: Christo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nanev
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods*; D002645:Chickens; D003460:Crystallization; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray / Q000379:methods; D007328:Insulin / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009113:Muramidase / Q000737:chemistry; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D013552:Swine; D013696:Temperature; D013816:Thermodynamics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D010455:Peptides; C421864:hen egg lysozyme; D009113:Muramidase