Growth kinetics of protein single crystals in the gel acupuncture technique

The growth of single crystals of tetragonal HEW lysozyme and thaumatin I into glass capillaries was monitored by time lapse video-microscopy. The crystals were obtained by unidirectional transport of the precipitating agent through capillaries of internal diameter ranging from 0.2 to 1.2 mm, using the gel acupuncture technique. For crystals growing from true protein solutions, the measured average growth rates varies with capillary diameter from...