Rate of water equilibration in vapor-diffusion crystallization: dependence on the residual pressure of air in the vapor space.

Abstract

The kinetics of water equilibration in vapor-diffusion crystallization experiments are sensitive to the residual pressure of air in the vapor chamber. Experiments with sitting droplets of 10%(w/v) PEG, allowed to equilibrate with reservoirs of 20%(w/v) PEG, were conducted at pressures ranging from 80 to 760 mm Hg. Equilibrations were interrupted after one, four, five and seven days to assess their progress. Even down to the lowest pressures examined it was found that a decrease in pressure leads to an increase in the rate of equilibration. The residual pressure of air in the vapor chamber can be varied to tailor the time course of equilibration in macromolecular crystal growth experiments.