Improved protein crystallization by vapor diffusion from drops in contact with transparent, self-assembled monolayers on gold-coated glass coverslips

The surfaces of glass coverslips of the type typically used for protein cry stallization were modified with four types of transparent, chemically disti nct self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). The SAM-functionalized surfaces exhib it a much higher degree of order and chemical uniformity than silanized gla ss, as judged by contact angle measurements. These characteristics lead to a marked increase in the range of solution conditions under which large cry stals of lysozyme, alpha-lactalbumin, ribonuclease. hemoglobin, thaumatin, and catalase are observed to form. The results are rationalized in terms of a marked reduction in the rate of non-productive nucleation relative to th e rate of crystal growth. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve d.