Subject: Prediction of Protein Crystallinity

From: [email-masked] (Gary Meier)
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 1994 14:23:20 -0600

Are there any algorithms, or rules of thumb, for estimating from a protein
sequence the likelihood that the protein will crystallize?  Can we study
patterns of hydrophobic residues or some other feature(s) contained in the
sequence and predict if the protein will crystallize?  If so, can we
suggest reasonable crystallization conditions to try?  How  might
conditions differ if crystallization of a protein dimer is desired?

Also, how might selection of a ligand for co-crystallization affect the
odds of crystallization success?  Is the highest affinity ligand
necessarily the best choice, or are there good reasons for selecting a
highly crystalline ligand, more hydrophobic ligand, etc.?

I realize that there is a lot of art behind the science of protein
crystallization, but if those of you with experience in this area can pass
along any pearls of wisdom, I'll be happy to summarize them for the net.

Gary Meier, Ph.D.                               ([email-masked])
Senior Research Computational Scientist
FMC Corporation,
Agricultural Chemical Group
Box 8
Princeton, NJ 08543                             (609) 951-3448