EXPERIMENT EQUIPMENT FOR PROTEIN CRYSTALLIZATION IN MU-G FACILITIES

For protein crystal growth under microgravity conditions, experiment equipment is needed which provides common techniques for crystallization, and simultaneously complies with the requirements for space flight experiments. For the Advanced Protein Crystallization Facility (APCF) to be flown in a middeck locker of the Space Shuttle (Spacehab and IML-2 mission), three types of protein reactors have been developed. These allow protein crystallization according to the methods liquid-liquid diffusion, dialysis, and vapour diffusion (hanging drop). Due to identical mechanical and optical interfaces, the experimenter may individually select type and size of the reactors for his experiments. Additionally, a new type of hanging drop reactor was designed which allows active control of the supersaturation inside the protein solution.