Effects of a microgravity environment on the crystallization of biological macromolecules.

Macromolecules crystals are indispensable intermediates in the analysis of macromolecular structure, are essential for the application of x-ray diffraction methods, and are at the same time the greatest obstacle to success. Protein crystals are generally difficult to grow, often of imperfect form or small size, and frequently lack sufficient order. Their growth has become the rate limiting step in x-ray crystallography. Evidence has emerged from...