The growth of large single crystals of lysozyme.

Abstract

AbstractIf protein single crystals larger than those suitable for x‐ray analysis are obtained, various spectroscopic, thermal, mechanical, and electrical measurements become possible. To understand the factors governing the crystal size, tetragonal lysozyme crystals were grown in batches at 15°C from solutions of different protein and salt concentrations between pH 4–7. The number and size of the crystals, and the protein concentration remaining in the supernatant, varied markedly with the initial salt amount, pH, and cation species, but large crystals always grew when the initial protein concentration (P) was in a narrow range of 2.5–3 times the crystal solubility (S). It was also shown (1) that the period before the first crystals appeared (D) varied as D ∝ (P/S)−n, where n ≃ 5, and (2) that many previous experiments used more supersaturated solutions than the optimal ones thus determined. The reason why large crystals grow only from moderately supersaturated solutions is discussed. The crystal size of the orthorhombic form grown at 40°C was less sensitive to pH and P than the tetragonal form. An effort to measure D and the solubility at 40°C revealed many differences between the two crystal forms, which we ascribe to different interactions to promote crystallization.