 | Acta Crystallographica Section D Acta Crystallographica Section D BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY |
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![[Figure 1]](bw5287fig1mag.jpg)
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Figure 1
Establishment of protein crystallization protocols in COP microfluidics cards. (a) Image of a microfluidics card. Samples are loaded at the top and then move through the card by centrifugal force. (b) Diagram of a cross section of a COP card illustrating how defined volumes of liquid are `pipetted'. Liquid is contained within a chamber by the thin membrane separating the chambers from the vertical channels (1), holes are opened in the thin membrane by a laser (yellow arrowheads; 2) and the liquid above the hole moves through the vertical channel to a chamber `below' (3). The volume transferred is determined by the vertical position of the hole in the thin membrane. (c) Vapour-diffusion protocol. Equal volumes of protein and precipitant were dispensed into one chamber and precipitant only was dispensed into an adjacent chamber. Holes were then opened in the thin membrane above the liquid level to establish connections between the chambers, according to the paths shown by the red lines. (d) Changes in liquid volume consistent with vapour diffusion after 6 d of incubation of the COP card at room temperature. The level of liquid at day 0 is indicated by the red lines. The level of liquid in the `precipitant' chamber increases, while the level of liquid in the `protein–precipitant' chamber decreases. In this example, the protein was lysozyme and the black arrow indicates a crystal that formed within 6 d. (e) Free-interface diffusion protocol. Protein and precipitant were dispensed into two adjacent chambers. Holes were then opened in the thin membrane below the liquid level to establish connections between the chambers, according to the paths shown by the red lines. All images of individual chambers were acquired using the camera built into the microfluidics instrument. Images showing multiple chambers were assembled from images acquired using an inverted microscope and a low-magnification lens (Zeiss, Gottingen, Germany). |
![[Figure 1]](bw5287fig1.jpg)
| BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY |
ISSN: 1399-0047
