title: Protein surface shielding agents in protein crystallization.
abstract: The molecules adhering temporarily on the surface of protein molecules change the propensity of protein molecules to deposit on the crystal surface in a definite position and orientation. The concepts of competitive adhesion modes and protein surface shielding agents acting on the surface of molecules in a non-equilibrium process of protein crystallization provide a useful platform for the control of crystallization. The desirable goal, i.e. a transient preference of a single dominating adhesion mode between protein molecules during crystallization, leads to uniform deposition of proteins in a crystal. This condition is the most important factor for diffraction quality and thus also for the accuracy of protein structure determination. The presented hypothesis is a generalization of the experimentally well proven behaviour of hydrophilic polymers on the surface of protein molecules of other compounds.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Czech Republic. hasek@imc.cas.cz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hašek
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols