Crystal Former Overview

The Crystal Former a capillary device with 16 crystallization channels, each providing access to two inlets for loading protein and precipitant solutions. The channels are covered by a thin removable foil allowing researchers to harvest crystals former in the microchannels. The reaction channels are spaced 4.5 mm apart to allow compatibility with multichannel pipettes and liquid handling robots.

 

 

 

1. Appropriate volumes of protein solution should be loaded into all the protein inlets. The crystallization channels will fill once the protein solution is loaded.
2. Each precipitant inlet is filled such that the precipitant drop contacts the protein solution in the crystallization channel.
3. The protein and precipitant inlets are sealed and the device is incubated and monitored for the formation of crystals.

 

The mixing of precipitant and protein solutions occurs primarily by diffusive equilibration based on the concentration difference established at the crystallization channel that faces the precipitant inlet. 

The crystallization channel is 10 mm long, allowing for a substantial exploration of protein phase space due to the long equilibration times. For a typical salt, precipitant equilibration will occur over a period of about 1 week, whereas larger polymers will require a longer equilibration. However, note that equilibration is not required for crystal growth, and crystals can form in anywhere from half a day to three days.