Optimization of soluble protein crystallization with detergents

Despite the expanding literature describing techniques useful for growing c rystals of proteins, successful crystallization remains a largely empirical , operator-dependent science. Detergents, such as beta -OG, have been found to be useful additives in the crystallization of both membrane and soluble proteins. We describe the use of detergents to optimize crystallization of four soluble proteins, which resulted in improved crystal quality and repr oducibility of results, including promoting the growth of single crystals a s opposed to polycrystals and cluster crystals, enhancing the crystal's X-r ay diffraction characteristics, and improving the reproducibility of crysta l growth. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.