Replacing a reservoir solution with desiccant in vapor diffusion protein crystallization screening

Abstract

This paper presents a modification to the conventional vapor diffusion (hanging- or sitting-drop) technique for protein crystallization screening. In this modified method, the reservoir solution is replaced with a desiccant to allow for a larger range of protein solution concentrations, thereby providing more opportunities for crystal formation. This method was tested in both reproducibility and screening studies, and the results showed that it significantly improves the efficiency and reduces the cost of protein crystallization screens.