FACTORS AFFECTING THE MORPHOLOGY OF ISOCITRATE LYASE CRYSTALS

Isocitrate lyase crystals have been grown by the hanging drop vapor equilibration method in both 1-g and mu g, and by vapor equilibration in small capillaries. The crystal morphologies obtained have ranged from dendritic to "octagonal" prisms. Theoretical evaporation models have been applied to these growth regimes. The results of these analyses along with other experimental results indicate the factors which must be controlled to produce good growth morphologies. The evaporation rate of the crystallizing solution is the most important factor in determining the growth morphology. Slower evaporation gives slower growth rates and better crystals.