In situ study of nanotemplate‐induced growth of lysozyme microcrystals by submicrometer GISAXS

Ultrasmall lysozyme microcrystals are grown by classical hanging‐drop vapor diffusion and by its modification using a homologous protein thin‐film template displaying long‐range order. The nucleation and growth mechanisms of lysozyme microcrystals are studied at the thin lysozyme film surface using a new in situµGISAXS (microbeam grazing‐incidence small‐angle X‐ray scattering) technique recently developed at the microfocus beamline of the ESRF in Grenoble, France. New insight on the nucleation and crystallization processes appear to emerge.