PHASE-DIAGRAM DETERMINATION TO ELUCIDATE THE CRYSTAL-GROWTH OF THE PHOTOREACTION CENTER FROM RHODOBACTER-SPHAEROIDES

Solubility curves (a phase diagram) of an amorphous precipitate and th e orthorhombic crystals of a membrane protein, the photoreaction cente r from Rhodobacter sphaeroides, were determined. With the phase diagra m, the process of crystal growth of the membrane protein was elucidate d within a general physicochemical framework, 'and justification was p rovided of hitherto empirically selected crystallization conditions.