Interactions and phase transitions in protein solutions

Understanding interactions and phase transitions in protein solutions is es sential in order to develop systematic protein crystallisation strategies. Recent studies show that proteins near crystallisation behave as particles interacting via a very short-range attractive potential. The microscopic or igin of this attractive term, and its strong dependence on the nature of th e crystallisation agent, is, however, still obscure. The interplay of cryst al nucleation with formation of weakly bonded amorphous aggregates also des erves further analysis. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.