Estimation of Crystallization Boundary of a Model Protein as a Function of Solute Concentration and Experiment Time

Abstract

It is crucial to evaluate the induction time of nucleation for obtaining high quality protein crystals in space. A new method is proposed based on the classical nucleation theory to define the time dependent character of the protein crystallization region in the phase diagram. Various concentrations of Hen Egg White lysozyme was crystallized with NaCl, and the time when the crystals appeared was studied. The experimental data fitted fairly well with the estimation supporting the validity of the proposed method.