Role of clusters in nonclassical nucleation and growth of protein crystals.

ABSTRACT: The development of multistep nucleation theory has spurred on experimentalists to find intermediate metastable states that are relevant to the solidification pathway of the molecule under interest. A great deal of studies focused on characterizing the so-called "precritical clusters" that may arise in the precipitation process. However, in macromolecular systems, the role that these clusters might play in the nucleation process and in the second stage of the precipitation process, i.e., growth, remains to a great extent unknown. Therefore, using biological macromolecules as a model system, we have studied the mesoscopic intermediate, the solid end state, and the relationship that exists between them. We present experimental evidence that these clusters are liquid-like and stable with respe

SUBMITTER: Sleutel M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3918807 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature