A METHOD FOR PROGRAMMABLE CONTROL OF RESERVOIR CONCENTRATIONS FOR PROTEIN CRYSTAL-GROWTH

Present protein crystallization methods such as vapor diffusion, dialysis, and liquid dialysis allow little or no control of the equilibration rates. Algorithms and hardware have been developed and tested at UAB which provide manual, interactive, or preprogrammed control of equilibration rates by controlling reservoir concentrations. A variable voltage DC power supply is used to control the flow of a peristaltic pump into a microdialysis or vapor diffusion crystal growth chamber. A variety of equilibration curves were constructed initially. The apparatus was then configured to produce the desired equilibration curves experimentally by varying the voltage input to the peristaltic pump. This apparatus can be used to optimize protein crystal growth via dialysis or vapor diffusion techniques.