Observation of Diffusion Process of a Water Droplet Immersed in Protein Solution in Microgravity

Pure liquid-liquid diffusion driven by concentration gradients is hard to study in a normal gravity environment since convection and sedimentation also contribute to the mass transfer process. We employ a Math Zehnder interferometer to monitor the mass transfer process of a water droplet in EAFP protein solution under micro- gravity condition provided by the Satellite Shi Jian No 8, A series of the evolution charts of mass distribution during the diffusion process of the liquid droplet are presented and the relevant diffusion coefficient is determined.     

配液结晶法制备溶菌酶蛋白质晶体的生长机理研究

采用配液结晶法制取了溶菌酶蛋白质晶体, 使用动态光散射测量了溶液中聚集体的颗粒度几率分布; 使用Zeiss显微镜测定了溶菌酶(110)晶面的生长速度. 实验表明: 随着蛋白质和NaCl浓度的增加, 溶液中聚集体的颗粒尺寸也相应增加. 随着反应时间的增加, 溶菌酶分子在溶液中的聚集反应, 逐渐达到平衡; 在蛋白质和NaCl浓度较高时, 溶菌酶晶体的(110)面生长较快, 而在蛋白质和NaCl浓度较低时, 该晶面生长较慢. 基于二维成核生长机理, 从晶体生长动力学理论方程出发, 计算了二维成核的形成能α＝4.01×10^－8 J•cm^－2.