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Real-Time Measurement of Protein Crystal Growth Rates within the Microfluidic Device to Understand the Microspace Effect.

ABSTRACT: Preparation of high-quality protein crystals is a major challenge in protein crystallography. Natural convection is considered to be an uncontrollable factor of the crystallization process at the ground level as it disturbs the concentration gradient around the growing crystal, resulting in lower-quality crystals. A microfluidic environment expects an imitated microgravity environment because of the small Gr number. However, the mechanism of protein crystal growth in the microfluidic device was not elucidated due to limitations in measuring the crystal growth process within the device. Here, we demonstrate the real-time measurement of protein crystal growth rates within the microfluidic devices by laser confocal microscopy with differential interference contrast microscopy (LCM-DIM) at the nanometer scale. We confirmed the normal growth rates in the 20 and 30 ?m-deep microfluidic device to be 42.2 and 536 nm/min, respectively. In addition, the growth rate of crystals in the 20 ?m-deep microfluidic device was almost the same as that reported in microgravity conditions. This phenomenon may enable the development of more accessible alternatives to the microgravity environment of the International Space Station.

SUBMITTER: Maeki M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7376889 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Real-Time Measurement of Protein Crystal Growth Rates within the Microfluidic Device to Understand the Microspace Effect.

Maeki Masatoshi M Yamazaki Shohei S Takeda Reo R Ishida Akihiko A Tani Hirofumi H Tokeshi Manabu M

ACS omega 20200708 28

Preparation of high-quality protein crystals is a major challenge in protein crystallography. Natural convection is considered to be an uncontrollable factor of the crystallization process at the ground level as it disturbs the concentration gradient around the growing crystal, resulting in lower-quality crystals. A microfluidic environment expects an imitated microgravity environment because of the small <i>Gr</i> number. However, the mechanism of protein crystal growth in the microfluidic devi ...[more]

PMID: 32715205

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Dataset Information

Real-Time Measurement of Protein Crystal Growth Rates within the Microfluidic Device to Understand the Microspace Effect.

Publications

Real-Time Measurement of Protein Crystal Growth Rates within the Microfluidic Device to Understand the Microspace Effect.

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