MCSG2 Successes 

 MCSG3 Successes

 MCSG4 Successes

MCSG Crystallization Screen References 

(1) Kim Y, Babnigg G, Jedrzejczak R, Eschenfeldt WH, Li H, Maltseva N, Hatzos-Skintges C, Gu M, Makowska-Grzyska M, Wu R, An H, Chhor G & Joachimiak A. (2011) High-throughput protein purification and quality assessment for crystallization. Methods 55(1): 12-28. DOI: 10.1016/i.ymeth.2011.07.010  

Crystal Former - Customer Stories 

 (1) Crystallization and imaging of fluorescent protein crystals using the Crystal Former

 (2) Bacterial Drug Targets 

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Helicobacter pylori are two major bacterial pathogens with direct impact on human health. MRSA exhibits resistance to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat staph strains. Most MRSA infections occur in hospitals and related health care centers and is responsible for serious skin and soft tissue infections and for a serious form of pneumonia. H pylori are resident in the stomachs and small intestines of approximately 50% people world-wide. While for many people H. pylori infection is asymptomatic, it is responsible for most ulcers, many cases of stomach inflammation and stomach cancer. Researchers at the University Health Network, led by Dr. Nickolay Chirgadze, have been investigating the protein structures of numerous proteins unique to these pathogenic bacteria with the intention of finding novel drug targets. Of three proteins that initially failed the vapor diffusion-based crystallization screening, two were successfully crystallized using only the standard 48 conditions that comprise the SmartScreen™ and the Crystal Former™. Furthermore, crystallization conditions for both proteins could be readily translated into vapor diffusion with minimal optimization. 

Integral membrane proteins comprise a highly challenging class of structural biology targets. The LeuT transporter has a bundle of 12 alpha-helices that for a transport channel through the cell membrane and plays an important role in synapse clearage following the transduction of a nerve signal. Many antidepressant drugs, and recreational drugs, target LeuT and similar transporters, thus structural knowledge of the transport mechanism and recognition therapeutics is a high importance. Recent crystal trials with the Crystal Former have resulted in the identification of crystallization conditions for the LeuT transporter. 

(4) Malaria Drug Targets 

 

(3) Stojanoff V, Jakoncic J, Oren DA, Nagarajan V, Navarro Poulsen JC, Adams-Cioaba MA, Bergfors T & Sommer MOA (2011). From Screen to structure with a harvestable microfluidic device. Acta Cryst F67:971-975.  DOI:10.1107/S174430911102445 

(2) Stewart PDS, Kolek SA, Briggs RA, Chayen NE & Baldock PFM (2011) Random microseeding: a theoretical and practical exploration of seed stability and seeding techniques for successful protein crystallization. Cryst. Growth Des. DOI: 10.1021/cg2001442. 

 (1) Terese Bergfors (2009) The rapid crystallization strategy for structure-based inhibitor design. From molecules to medicines: Structure of biological macromolecules and its relevance in combating new diseases and bioterrorism. Sussman JL & Spadon P. Eds. ISBN 978-90-481-2337-7

Crystal Former - Conference Presentations 

(1) Weger A, Kim YC, Adams-Cioaba MA, Sommer M & Joachimiak A (2010) Microfluidic Crystal Formers for high throughput screening and optimization.  NIGMS Workshop: Enabling technologies in structure and function. View Here