A method of cryoprotection for protein crystallography by using a microfluidic chip and its application for in situ X-ray diffraction measurements

Anal Chem. 2015 Apr 21;87(8):4194-200. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b00151. Epub 2015 Apr 13.

Abstract

We demonstrate a seamless and contactless method from protein crystallization to X-ray analysis using a microfluidic chip with the aim of obtaining a complete crystallographic data set of a protein crystal under cryogenic conditions. Our microfluidics-based approach did not require direct manipulation of the protein crystal. Therefore, the microfluidic chip approach is suitable for novices of X-ray analysis of protein crystals. We also investigated the effect of stepwise cryoprotection on the quality of protein crystals. Protein crystals with cryoprotection via on-chip manipulation did not show deterioration of crystallographic quality of the protein crystal. The complete diffraction data set of a protein crystal, which is required for determining the 3D structure of the target protein, is obtainable by a simple manipulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chickens
  • Crystallography
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques*
  • Muramidase / chemistry*
  • Muramidase / metabolism
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • hen egg lysozyme
  • Muramidase