Enhanced protein crystallization around the metastable critical point |
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Authors: | Pieter Rein ten Wolde Daan Frenkel |
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Institution: | (1) FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics, Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands, NL |
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Abstract: | We report on a computer-simulation study of homogeneous crystal nucleation in a model for globular proteins. We find that
the presence of a metastable vapour-liquid critical point drastically changes the pathway for the formation of a critical
nucleus. But what is more important, the large density fluctuations near the critical point also lowers the free-energy barrier
to nucleation and hence increases the nucleation rate. As␣the location of the vapour-liquid critical point can be controlled
by changing the solvent conditions, our simulation results suggest a guided approach to protein crystallization.
Received: 4 June 1998/Accepted: 3 September 1998 / Published online: 10 December 1998 |
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Keywords: | : Proteins Crystallization Nucleation Computer simulation Statistical physics |
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