The authors would like to acknowledge Chan-Sien Lay for providing pictures of purified microcrystals, Daniel Eriksson and Tom Caradoc-Davies for support at the MX2 beamline of the Australian Synchrotron, and Kathryn Flanagan and Andrew Fryga from the FlowCore facility at Monash University for their invaluable assistance.

<ol>
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The authors have nothing to disclose.

This protocol provides two approaches to analyze microcrystals with the aim of facilitating the analysis of very small crystals that would have been overlooked in the past.
Critical steps for microcrystal purification 
The presented protocol has been optimized using Bombyx mori CPV1 polyhedrin expressed in Sf9 cells as a model system. However, in vivo microcrystals display a great variability in mechanical resistance. For instance, cathepsin B needle-like crystals grown in insect cells are rigid and highly resistant to mechanical stress, and could be purified using a protocol similar to the one described here 14. On the other hand, firefly luciferase crystals, also grown in cultured insect cells and with a similar needle-like morphology, immediately dissolve upon cell lysis 38. Thus, the protocol for extraction and purification of in vivo crystals will need to be adapted in a trial-error basis for particular cases as described in steps 1.3, 2a.3-4, 2b.4, 3.1.3-4 and 3.2a.5.
For fragile crystals, (partial) separation from cell debris might be achieved by low speed centrifugation (i.e. 200 x g) or addition of a sucrose cushion at the bottom of the tube instead of repeated sonication. As a general rule, crystal samples prepared for diffraction data collection purposes do no need to be highly purified. Thus, rapid purification is preferable to cryo-cool the crystals before they might decay.
Application to in vitro and in vivo microcrystals 
Although both protocols are here illustrated with the analysis of in vivo grown crystals, the methodology can be readily used for microcrystals grown in crystal trays from purified recombinant protein. In this case, the following modifications should be considered: i) the mesh support may be used to harvest the microcrystals directly from the crystallization drop, rather than transferring them by pipetting; ii) since the amount of crystals may be a limiting factor, special care will need to be taken when blotting the excess of liquid from the mesh support, to avoid excessive removal of crystals; iii) different cryoprotectant buffers will need to be tested, as done in conventional crystallography (see reference 30).
On the other hand, for in vivo-grown crystals, the in cellulo approach is strongly recommended. Because cells are easier to visualize and manipulate than purified crystals, this approach is more efficient in terms of beamtime usage and more accessible to researchers with little or no experience in microcrystallography. It is also more suitable for fragile crystals that may be affected by the extraction and purification from the cell due to changes in the chemical environment, dilution of the surrounding proteins and mechanical damage. Besides, cells provide a protective environment to the crystals, alleviating the need for the addition of a cryoprotectant. Omission of the cryoprotection treatment has been previously shown to prevent accumulation of defects and improved the isomorphism between individual crystals, for data collection at room temperature 40. The in cellulo protocol also bypasses the requirement for incubation in cryoprotectant solution, while still allowing data collection at cryogenic temperature. Overall, in cellulo data collection has two main advantages: 1) it may produce data of better quality and higher resolution for a given period of beamtime 20; and 2) it maintains the crystallized protein in a cellular environment increasing the chances of retaining a biologically-relevant ligand.
Limitations of the technique 
An intrinsic complication of serial microcrystallography is the important number of partial datasets generated during data collection. Consequently, data processing becomes an increasingly time-consuming process. However, the basic workflow for data processing can largely be automated. For example, the optimal selection of isomorphous crystals can be determined by hierarchical cluster analysis28, for instance implemented in BLEND36. In addition, programs developed for the analysis of X-ray free electron lasers (XFEL) can also be adapted to process serial microcrystallography data collected on synchrotron beamlines2 and, at some beamlines automated rastering of mesh and crystal detection have been implemented greatly facilitating serial data collection2,41.

The use of X-ray crystallography for the determination of high-resolution structures of biological macromolecules has experienced a steady progression over the last two decades. The growing uptake of X-ray crystallography by non-expert researchers exemplifies the democratization of this approach in many fields of life sciences1.
Historically, crystals with dimensions below ~10 &#181;m have been considered as challenging, if not unusable, for structure determination. The increasing availability of dedicated microfocus beamlinesat synchrotron radiation sources worldwide and technological advances, such as the development of tools to manipulate microcrystals, have removed much of these barriers that stymied the wide use of X-ray microcrystallography. Advances in serial X-ray microcrystallography2,3 and micro electron diffraction4 have shown that the use of micro- and nanocrystals for structure determination is not only feasible but also sometimes preferable to the use of large crystals5,6,7.
These advances were first applied to the study of peptides8 and natural crystals produced by insect viruses9,10. They are now used for a diverse range of biological macromolecules including the most difficult systems such as membrane proteins and large complexes11. To facilitate the analysis of these microcrystals, they have been analyzed in meso, particularly membrane proteins12 and in microfluidics chips13.
The availability of these novel microcrystallography methodologies has raised the possibility of using in vivo crystallization as a new route for structural biology14,15,16 offering an alternative to classical in vitro crystallogenesis. Unfortunately, even when in vivo crystals can be produced, several obstacles remain such as the degradation or loss of ligands during the purification from cells, difficulty in the manipulation and visualization of the crystals at the synchrotron beamline and tedious X-ray diffraction experiments. As an alternative crystals have also been analyzed directly within the cell without any purification step17,18,19. A comparative analysis suggests that such in cellulo approaches may be more efficient than the analysis of purified crystals and yield data of higher resolution20.
This protocol is intended to assist researchers new to protein microcrystallography. It provides methodologies focusing on sample preparation and manipulation for X-ray diffraction experiments at a synchrotron beamline. Two options are proposed using isolated crystals for classical microcrystallography or crystal-containing cells sorted by flow cytometry for in cellulo analysis (Figure 1).

<table><tbody><tr><td>Sf9 cells</td><td>Life Technologies</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>SF900-SFM insect medium</td><td>Life Technologies</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1 L cell culture flask</td><td>Thermofisher Scientific</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Shaking incubator for insect cell culture</td><td>Eppendorf</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>50 mL conical tubes</td><td>Falcon</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Centrifuge with swing buckets for 50 mL tubes</td><td>Eppendorf</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sonicator equiped with a 19 mm probe</td><td>MSE Soniprep 150&amp;nbsp;</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Glass slides</td><td>Hampton Research</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hemacytometer</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Propidium iodide</td><td>Thermofisher Scientific</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>BD Influx cell sorter&amp;nbsp;</td><td>BD Biosciences</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hampton Heavy atom screens</td><td>Hampton Research</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Microcentrifuge</td><td>Eppendorf</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Micromesh</td><td>Mitigen</td><td></td><td>700/25 meshes offer a larger surface. Indexed meshes can be purchased for systematic studies.</td></tr><tr><td>Paper wick</td><td>Mitigen</td><td></td><td>The size of the paper wick can be varied for optimal flow. This will largely depend on the nature of the crystals and cryoprotectant used.</td></tr><tr><td>Ethylene glycol</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Trypan blue</td><td>Life Technologies</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MX2 microfocus beamline</td><td>Australian Synchrotron</td><td></td><td>A list of available microfocus beamlines can be found in Boudes &lt;em&gt;et al.&lt;/em&gt; (2014) &lt;em&gt;Reflections on the Many Facets of Protein&lt;br/&gt; Microcrystallography.&lt;/em&gt; Australian Journal of Chemistry 67 (12), 1793&amp;ndash;1806,&lt;br/&gt; doi:10.1071/CH14455.</td></tr></tbody></table>

microcrystallography of protein crystals and in cellulo diffraction

The advent of high-quality microfocus beamlines at many synchrotron facilities has permitted the routine analysis of crystals smaller than 10 &#181;m in their largest dimension, which used to represent a challenge. We present two alternative workflows for the structure determination of protein microcrystals by X-ray crystallography with a particular focus on crystals grown in vivo. The microcrystals are either extracted from cells by sonication and purified by differential centrifugation, or analyzed in cellulo after cell sorting by flow cytometry of crystal-containing cells. Optionally, purified crystals or crystal-containing cells are soaked in heavy atom solutions for experimental phasing. These samples are then prepared for diffraction experiments in a similar way by application onto a micromesh support and flash cooling in liquid nitrogen. We briefly describe and compare serial diffraction experiments of isolated microcrystals and crystal-containing cells using a microfocus synchrotron beamline to produce datasets suitable for phasing, model building and refinement.
These workflows are exemplified with crystals of the Bombyx mori cypovirus 1 (BmCPV1) polyhedrin produced by infection of insect cells with a recombinant baculovirus. In this case study, in cellulo analysis is more efficient than analysis of purified crystals and yields a structure in ~8 days from expression to refinement.

An overview of both alternative methods for structure determination using in vivo microcrystals is presented (Figure 1). Polyhedra can easily be purified by sonication and centrifugation. Due to their density, they form a layer at the bottom of the tube underneath a layer of debris that can be removed by pipetting (Figure 3a and 3b). The sample is then subjected to several rounds of sonication and washes until a sufficient level of purity is reached as judged from the white and chalky aspect of the pellet (Figure 3c).
For the in cellulo approach, flow cytometry profile of non-infected cells is compared with profile of crystal-containing cells and used to determine which cell population should be selected to sort crystal-containing cells away from the other cells (Figure 4). In this example, cells containing polyhedra have a higher side-scattering than non-infected cells. Other differences in scattering patterns may be observed for other crystal types and gating should be modified accordingly.
Purified microcrystals or crystal-containing cells are pipetted onto a micromesh (Figure 5). Cells stained with trypan blue can be easily visualized using cameras available at most of synchrotron beamlines (Figure 5b), while purified crystals are laborious to identify and align with the X-ray beam due to their small size (Figure 5c). When collecting data, it is best to proceed in a grid pattern in order to minimize the centering procedures, and to avoid exposing twice the same cell or crystal, or missing any (Figure 5a). Data collected should be processed carefully to account for differences in diffraction limits, the effect of radiation damage and a possible lack of isomorphism.
<img alt="Figure 1" class="xfigimg" src="/files/ftp_upload/55793/55793fig1.jpg" /> 
Figure 1: Overview of Two Methods for Structure Determination using In Vivo Microcrystals. Microcrystals are produced in cell culture by over-expression of the protein of interest using a recombinant expression system. In specific cases, microcrystals may also be produced naturally by the cells in particular conditions. The top row shows the classical approach where cells are lysed and crystals are purified by differential centrifugation. Purified microcrystals are pipetted onto a micromesh. After removal of the excess liquid, a cryoprotectant solution is added, excess liquid is blotted again and the mesh is flash-cooled. For X-ray diffraction experiments, crystals are carefully aligned with the X-ray beam, which may be the rate limiting step in data collection. The bottom row presents the in cellulo approach. Cells are sorted by flow-cytometry to specifically select crystal-containing cells. Cells are stained with trypan blue to facilitate visualization and spread onto a micromesh. In this case, the addition of a cryoprotectant is optional. For X-ray diffraction experiments, cells are easily visualized using typical cameras available at synchrotron beamlines facilitating the centering process. 
Image of automated liquid chromatography system courtesy of GE Healthcare AB, Uppsala, Sweden. <a href="http://cloudflare.jove.com/files/ftp_upload/55793/55793fig1large.jpg" target="_blank">Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.</a>
<img alt="Figure 2" class="xfigimg" src="/files/ftp_upload/55793/55793fig2.jpg" /> 
Figure 2: Examples of In Vivo Microcrystals. Selected examples of in vivo crystals: (a) Sf9 cells with cypovirus polyhedra; (b) LD652 cells with entomopoxvirus spheroids; (c) Bacillus thuringiensis with Cry3A crystals (arrow); (d) Sf9 cells with Trypanosoma brucei cathepsin B crystals; (e) Sf21 cells with calcineurin crystals (arrows); (f) COS7 cells monolayer with PKA:Inka1 crystals; (g) CHO cells with IgG crystals. Reproduced from14,18,29,37,39,42, with permission. Scale bar = 10 &#181;m. <a href="http://cloudflare.jove.com/files/ftp_upload/55793/55793fig2large.jpg" target="_blank">Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.</a>
<img alt="Table 1" src="/files/ftp_upload/55793/55793table1.jpg" /> 
Table 1: Summary of In Vivo Crystals Grown in Cultured Cells Expressing Recombinant Protein. <a href="http://cloudflare.jove.com/files/ftp_upload/55793/55793table1large.jpg" target="_blank">Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.</a>

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Microcrystallography of Protein Crystals and In Cellulo Diffraction at JoVE.com

Microcrystallography of Protein Crystals and In Cellulo Diffraction

A protocol is presented for X-ray crystallography using protein microcrystals. Two examples analyzing in vivo-grown microcrystals after purification or in cellulo are compared.

Microcrystallography of Protein Crystals and In Cellulo Diffraction

The advent of high-quality microfocus beamlines at many synchrotron facilities has permitted the routine analysis of crystals smaller than 10 &#181;m in ...

microcrystallography-of-protein-crystals-and-in-cellulo-diffraction

Nanyang Technological University

Research

JoVE Journal

Biochemistry

9.0K Views.  Monash University. A protocol is presented for X-ray crystallography using protein microcrystals. Two examples analyzing in vivo-grown microcrystals after purification or in cellulo are compared.

Video: Microcrystallography of Protein Crystals and In Cellulo Diffraction

Growing Protein Crystals with Distinct Dimensions Using Automated Crystallization Coupled with In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering

The automated crystallization device is a patented technique1 especially developed for monitoring protein crystallization experiments with the aim to precisely maneuver the nucleation and crystal growth towards desired sizes of protein crystals. The controlled crystallization is based on sample investigation with in situ Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) while all visual changes in the droplet are monitored online with the help of a microscope coupled to a CCD camera, thus enabling a full investigation of the protein droplet during all stages of crystallization. The use of in situ DLS measurements throughout the entire experiment allows a precise identification of the highly supersaturated protein solution transitioning to a new phase &#8211; the formation of crystal nuclei. By identifying the protein nucleation stage, the crystallization can be optimized from large protein crystals to the production of protein microcrystals. The experimental protocol shows an interactive crystallization approach based on precise automated steps such as precipitant addition, water evaporation for inducing high supersaturation, and sample dilution for slowing induced homogeneous nucleation or reversing phase transitions.

Growing Protein Crystals with Distinct Dimensions Using Automated Crystallization Coupled with In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering

Here we present a protocol for controlled production of protein microcrystals. The process uses an automated device allowing controlled manipulation of several crystallization parameters. The protein crystallization is carried-out by controlled and automated addition of crystallization solutions while monitoring and investigating the radius distribution of particles in the crystallization droplet.

The automated crystallization device is a patented technique1 especially developed for monitoring protein crystallization experiments with the aim to ...

Microfluidic Chips for In Situ Crystal X-ray Diffraction and In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering for Serial Crystallography

This protocol describes fabricating microfluidic devices with low X-ray background optimized for goniometer based fixed target serial crystallography. The devices are patterned from epoxy glue using soft lithography and are suitable for in situ X-ray diffraction experiments at room temperature. The sample wells are lidded on both sides with polymeric polyimide foil windows that allow diffraction data collection with low X-ray background. This fabrication method is undemanding and inexpensive. After the sourcing of a SU-8 master wafer, all fabrication can be completed outside of a cleanroom in a typical research lab environment. The chip design and fabrication protocol utilize capillary valving to microfluidically split an aqueous reaction into defined nanoliter sized droplets. This loading mechanism avoids the sample loss from channel dead-volume and can easily be performed manually without using pumps or other equipment for fluid actuation. We describe how isolated nanoliter sized drops of protein solution can be monitored in situ by dynamic light scattering to control protein crystal nucleation and growth. After suitable crystals are grown, complete X-ray diffraction datasets can be collected using goniometer based in situ fixed target serial X-ray crystallography at room temperature. The protocol provides custom scripts to process diffraction datasets using a suite of software tools to solve and refine the protein crystal structure. This approach avoids the artefacts possibly induced during cryo-preservation or manual crystal handling in conventional crystallography experiments. We present and compare three protein structures that were solved using small crystals with dimensions of approximately 10-20 &#181;m grown in chip. By crystallizing and diffracting in situ, handling and hence mechanical disturbances of fragile crystals is minimized. The protocol details how to fabricate a custom X-ray transparent microfluidic chip suitable for in situ serial crystallography. As almost every crystal can be used for diffraction data collection, these microfluidic chips are a very efficient crystal delivery method.

Microfluidic Chips for In Situ Crystal X-ray Diffraction and In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering for Serial Crystallography

This protocol describes in detail how to fabricate and operate microfluidic devices for X-ray diffraction data collection at room temperature. Additionally, it describes how to monitor protein crystallization by dynamic light scattering and how to process and analyze obtained diffraction data.

This protocol describes fabricating microfluidic devices with low X-ray background optimized for goniometer based fixed target serial crystallography. The ...

Chemistry

Crystallization and Structural Determination of an Enzyme:Substrate Complex by Serial Crystallography in a Versatile Microfluidic Chip

The preparation of well diffracting crystals and their handling before their X-ray analysis are two critical steps of biocrystallographic studies. We describe a versatile microfluidic chip that enables the production of crystals by the efficient method of counter-diffusion. The convection-free environment provided by the microfluidic channels is ideal for crystal growth and useful to diffuse a substrate into the active site of the crystalline enzyme. Here we applied this approach to the CCA-adding enzyme of the psychrophilic bacterium Planococcus halocryophilus in the presented example. After crystallization and substrate diffusion/soaking, the crystal structure of the enzyme:substrate complex was determined at room temperature by serial crystallography and the analysis of multiple crystals directly inside the chip. The whole procedure preserves the genuine diffraction properties of the samples because it requires no crystal handling.

A versatile microfluidic device is described that enables the crystallization of an enzyme using the counter-diffusion method, the introduction of a substrate in the crystals by soaking, and the 3D structure determination of the enzyme:substrate complex by a serial analysis of crystals inside the chip at room temperature.

The preparation of well diffracting crystals and their handling before their X-ray analysis are two critical steps of biocrystallographic studies. We ...

Microcrystal Electron Diffraction of Small Molecules

A detailed protocol for preparing small molecule samples for microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) experiments is described. MicroED has been developed to solve structures of proteins and small molecules using standard electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) equipment. In this way, small molecules, peptides, soluble proteins, and membrane proteins have recently been determined to high resolutions. Protocols are presented here for preparing grids of small-molecule pharmaceuticals using the drug carbamazepine as an example. Protocols for screening and collecting data are presented. Additional steps in the overall process, such as data integration, structure determination, and refinement are presented elsewhere. The time required to prepare the small-molecule grids is estimated to be less than 30 min.

Here, we describe the procedures developed in our laboratory for preparing powders of small molecule crystals for microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) experiments.

A detailed protocol for preparing small molecule samples for microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) experiments is described. MicroED has been ...

Crystallization of Proteins on Chip by Microdialysis for In Situ X-ray Diffraction Studies

This protocol describes the manufacturing of reproducible and inexpensive microfluidic devices covering the whole pipeline for crystallizing proteins on-chip with the dialysis method and allowing in situ single-crystal or serial crystallography experiments at room temperature. The protocol details the fabrication process of the microchips, the manipulation of the on-chip crystallization experiments and the treatment of the in situ collected X-ray diffraction data for the structural elucidation of the protein sample. The main feature of this microfabrication procedure lies on the integration of a commercially available, semipermeable regenerated cellulose dialysis membrane in between two layers of the chip. The molecular weight cut-off of the embedded membrane varies depending on the molecular weight of the macromolecule and the precipitants. The device exploits the advantages of microfluidic technology, such as the use of minute volumes of samples (&#60;1 &#181;L) and fine tuning over transport phenomena. The chip coupled them with the dialysis method, providing precise and reversible control over the crystallization process and can be used for investigating phase diagrams of proteins at the microliter scale. The device is patterned using a photocurable thiolene-based resin with soft imprint lithography on an optically transparent polymeric substrate. Moreover, the background scattering of the materials composing the microchips and generating background noise was evaluated rendering the chip compatible for in situ X-ray diffraction experiments. Once protein crystals are grown on-chip up to an adequate size and population uniformity, the microchips can be directly mounted in front of the X-ray beam with the aid of a 3D printed holder. This approach addresses the challenges rising from the use of cryoprotectants and manual harvesting in conventional protein crystallography experiments through an easy and inexpensive manner. Complete X-ray diffraction data sets from multiple, isomorphous lysozyme crystals grown on-chip were collected at room temperature for structure determination.

Crystallization of Proteins on Chip by Microdialysis for In Situ X-ray Diffraction Studies

This paper details the fabrication protocol of microfluidic chips developed for on-chip protein crystallization with the dialysis method and in situ X-ray diffraction experiments. The microfabrication process makes it possible to integrate a semipermeable regenerated cellulose dialysis membrane with any molecular weight cut-off, between two layers of the chip.

This protocol describes the manufacturing of reproducible and inexpensive microfluidic devices covering the whole pipeline for crystallizing proteins ...

Assessing Two-dimensional Crystallization Trials of Small Membrane Proteins for Structural Biology Studies by Electron Crystallography

Electron crystallography has evolved as a method that can be used either alternatively or in combination with three-dimensional crystallization and X-ray crystallography to study structure-function questions of membrane proteins, as well as soluble proteins. Screening for two-dimensional (2D) crystals by transmission electron microscopy (EM) is the critical step in finding, optimizing, and selecting samples for high-resolution data collection by cryo-EM. Here we describe the fundamental steps in identifying both large and ordered, as well as small 2D arrays, that can potentially supply critical information for optimization of crystallization conditions.
By working with different magnifications at the EM, data on a range of critical parameters is obtained. Lower magnification supplies valuable data on the morphology and membrane size. At higher magnifications, possible order and 2D crystal dimensions are determined. In this context, it is described how CCD cameras and online-Fourier Transforms are used at higher magnifications to assess proteoliposomes for order and size.
While 2D crystals of membrane proteins are most commonly grown by reconstitution by dialysis, the screening technique is equally applicable for crystals produced with the help of monolayers, native 2D crystals, and ordered arrays of soluble proteins. In addition, the methods described here are applicable to the screening for 2D crystals of even smaller as well as larger membrane proteins, where smaller proteins require the same amount of care in identification as our examples and the lattice of larger proteins might be more easily identifiable at earlier stages of the screening.

Evaluating two-dimensional (2D) crystallization trials for the formation of ordered membrane protein arrays is a highly critical and difficult task in electron crystallography. Here we describe our approach in screening for and identifying 2D crystals of predominantly small membrane proteins in the range of 15 &#x2013; 90kDa.

Electron crystallography has evolved as a method that can be used either alternatively or in combination with three-dimensional crystallization and X-ray ...

Biology

On-Chip Crystallization and Large-Scale Serial Diffraction at Room Temperature

Biochemical reactions and biological processes can be best understood by demonstrating how proteins transition among their functional states. Since cryogenic temperatures are non-physiological and may prevent, deter, or even alter protein structural dynamics, a robust method for routine X-ray diffraction experiments at room temperature is highly desirable. The crystal-on-crystal device and its accompanying hardware and software used in this protocol are designed to enable in situ X-ray diffraction at room temperature for protein crystals of different sizes without any sample manipulation. Here we present the protocols for the key steps from device assembly, on-chip crystallization, optical scanning, crystal recognition to X-ray shot planning and automated data collection. Since this platform requires no crystal harvesting nor any other sample manipulation, hundreds to thousands of protein crystals grown on chip can be introduced into an X-ray beam in a programmable and high-throughput manner.

This contribution describes how to set up protein crystallization on crystal-on-crystal devices and how to perform automated serial data collection at room temperature using the on-chip crystallization platform.

Biochemical reactions and biological processes can be best understood by demonstrating how proteins transition among their functional states. Since ...

High-Throughput Protein Crystallization via Microdialysis

Understanding the structure-function relationships of macromolecules, such as proteins, at the molecular level is vital for biomedicine and modern drug discovery. To date, X-ray crystallography remains the most successful method for solving three-dimensional protein structures at atomic resolution. With recent advances in serial crystallography, either using X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) or synchrotron light sources, protein crystallography has progressed to the next frontier, where the ability to acquire time-resolved data provides important mechanistic insights into the behavior of biological molecules at room temperature. This protocol describes a straightforward high-throughput (HTP) workflow for screening crystallization conditions through the use of a 96-well dialysis plate. These plates follow the Society for Biomolecular Screening (SBS) standard and can be easily set up using any standard crystallization laboratory. Once optimal conditions are identified, large quantities of crystals (hundreds of microcrystals) can be produced using the dialyzer. To validate the robustness and versatility of this approach, four different proteins were crystallized, including two membrane proteins.

High-Throughput Protein Crystallization via Microdialysis

The presented protocol describes a straightforward approach for screening protein crystallization conditions and crystal growth using a 96-well high-throughput dialysis plate. The use of dialyzer tubes for the large-scale growth of microcrystals is also demonstrated for serial crystallography and MicroED applications.

Understanding the structure-function relationships of macromolecules, such as proteins, at the molecular level is vital for biomedicine and modern drug ...

Protein Crystallization for X-ray Crystallography

Using the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules to infer how they function is one of the most important fields of modern biology. The availability of atomic resolution structures provides a deep and unique understanding of protein function, and helps to unravel the inner workings of the living cell. To date, 86% of the Protein Data Bank (rcsb-PDB) entries are macromolecular structures that were determined using X-ray crystallography.
To obtain crystals suitable for crystallographic studies, the macromolecule (e.g. protein, nucleic acid, protein-protein complex or protein-nucleic acid complex) must be purified to homogeneity, or as close as possible to homogeneity. The homogeneity of the preparation is a key factor in obtaining crystals that diffract to high resolution (Bergfors, 1999; McPherson, 1999).
Crystallization requires bringing the macromolecule to supersaturation. The sample should therefore be concentrated to the highest possible concentration without causing aggregation or precipitation of the macromolecule (usually 2-50 mg/ mL). Introducing the sample to precipitating agent can promote the nucleation of protein crystals in the solution, which can result in large three-dimensional crystals growing from the solution. There are two main techniques to obtain crystals: vapor diffusion and batch crystallization. In vapor diffusion, a drop containing a mixture of precipitant and protein solutions is sealed in a chamber with pure precipitant. Water vapor then diffuses out of the drop until the osmolarity of the drop and the precipitant are equal (Figure 1A). The dehydration of the drop causes a slow concentration of both protein and precipitant until equilibrium is achieved, ideally in the crystal nucleation zone of the phase diagram. The batch method relies on bringing the protein directly into the nucleation zone by mixing protein with the appropriate amount of precipitant (Figure 1B). This method is usually performed under a paraffin/mineral oil mixture to prevent the diffusion of water out of the drop.
Here we will demonstrate two kinds of experimental setup for vapor diffusion, hanging drop and sitting drop, in addition to batch crystallization under oil.

The 3-D structure of a molecule provides a unique understanding of how the molecule functions. The principal method for structure determination at near-atomic resolution is X-ray crystallography. Here, we demonstrate the current methods for obtaining three-dimensional crystals of any given macromolecule that are suitable for structure determination by X-ray crystallography.

Using the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules to infer how they function is one of the most important fields of modern biology. The ...

Protein Crystallization

Protein crystallization, obtaining a solid lattice of biomolecules, elucidates protein structure and enables the study of protein function. Crystallization involves drying purified protein under a combination of many factors, including pH, temperature, ionic strength, and protein concentration. Once crystals are obtained, the protein structure can be elucidated by x-ray diffraction and computation of an electron density model.
This video introduces protein crystallization and shows a general procedure. Protein expression and purification, crystallization, and x-ray diffraction are covered in the procedure. Applications of protein crystallization include in silico drug design, binding site determination, and membrane protein structure analysis.
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Protein crystallization is the process of obtaining a latticed solid form of a protein. These crystals are especially valuable to structural biologists, assisting in the study of protein function. Other techniques, such as mass spec or SDS-PAGE, can only provide information on the one-dimensional structure of proteins. Protein crystallization is complemented by the techniques of recombinant protein expression and x-ray diffraction. This video will show the principles of protein crystallization, a general laboratory procedure, and several of its applications in the biochemical field.
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The first step required in the process is to obtain milligram quantities of very pure protein, typically using recombinant protein expression. The gene corresponding to the protein of interest is cloned into an expression vector, and the expressed protein is fused to an affinity tag, such as poly-histidine, to assist in the purification by affinity chromatography. To learn more, see this collection&#39;s video on affinity chromatography.
Formation of the purified protein into crystals is dependent on the proper combination of many factors, including pH, ionic strength, concentrations of precipitant and protein, temperature, and rate of equilibration. The most common method used is vapor diffusion, of which there are two categories: hanging drop and sitting drop. A droplet containing pure protein, buffer, and precipitant, which is an ionic solid that binds water molecules, reducing water availability for the protein and mimicking higher protein concentration, is in an enclosed microwell with a reservoir with a more highly concentrated mixture of the same buffer and precipitant. At the beginning, the concentrations of protein and precipitant are too low to cause crystallization. During the course of the experiment, water vaporizes from the droplet and collects in the reservoir; a decrease in the amount of water in the droplet causes the system to become supersaturated, and nucleation, followed by crystallization, can occur. The net transfer of water from the droplet is in equilibrium, and the system is maintained until the process is complete.
To visualize the 3D structure, x-ray diffraction is used. To obtain x-ray data from a crystal, it is placed in a monochromatic x-ray beam, where it is exposed to the beam at all angles. Each exposure provides an image, where each spot is a diffracted x-ray, which emerges from the crystal and is registered by a detector. The data are combined to produce a model of the arrangement of atoms within the crystal. The resulting crystal structure demonstrates the 3-dimensional placement of the atoms, with a typical resolution of 2 angstroms.

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Now that we have covered the principles of protein crystallization, let us look at a generalized protocol.
To begin the procedure an expression vector containing the gene of interest is transformed into cells. The cells are incubated and at mid-log phase, expression is initiated by adding an inducer, such as IPTG, which triggers transcription of the gene&#39;s mRNA. After protein expression, the crude material is suspended in lysis buffer, and then clarified by centrifugation.
The clarified lysate is then loaded onto a nickel column, and the polyhistidine-tagged protein binds to the column while all other biomolecules are washed away.
Once several milligrams of pure protein have been obtained, it is ready for crystallization by vapor diffusion. A 24-well hanging/sitting drop tray is filled with varying concentrations of sodium chloride and sodium acetate buffer solutions. For the sitting drop method, equal volumes of protein and reservoir solution are pipetted onto the shelf above each well, and then the tray is covered with transparent tape. The tray is then placed in an incubation chamber, and the wells are monitored for growth the following day, then every few days.
Once a proper crystal has been obtained it is ready for x-ray diffraction analysis. The crystal is mounted on a goniometer to position the crystal at selected orientations. The crystal is illuminated with a monochromatic beam of x-rays at all angles, producing a diffraction pattern. The software converts the two-dimensional images, taken at different orientations, to a three-dimensional model of the density of electrons within the crystal by determining the positions of the atoms in the crystal.
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Now that we have reviewed a procedure, let&#39;s review some useful applications of protein crystallization, and another crystallization technique.
Protein crystallization may be used for in silico drug design. The three-dimensional structure of Influenza virus&#39;s polymerase basic protein 2, which has been linked to viral infection in mammals, was determined by crystallization and x-ray diffraction. Potential binding sites in the protein are visualized, and with the use of a docking program, a three-dimensional molecule was designed that would insert into a cleft in the protein.
Co-crystallization of protein-DNA complexes is also a useful technique. DNA-binding proteins modulate a wide variety of biological functions such as transcription and DNA polymerization and DNA repair; and crystal structures of these complexes can provide insight into protein function, mechanism, and the nature of the specific interaction. The E. coli protein SeqA, a negative regulator of DNA replication, was co-crystallized with hemimethylated DNA.
Integral membrane proteins such as G-protein coupled receptors, or GCPRs, are difficult to crystallize due to their limited amount of polar surface area available for forming crystal lattice contacts, which has led to the development of fusion-protein-assisted protein crystallization. Genes encoding &#946;2 adrenergic receptor, a GCPR, and a lysozyme were inserted into an expression vector. The crystallization of the &#946;2AR- lysozyme fusion protein was achieved due to the increased extracellular hydrophilic surface over the naturally hydrophobic &#946;2AR, provided by the lysozyme, necessary for forming packing interactions in the crystal lattice.
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You&#39;ve just watched JoVE&#39;s video on protein crystallization. This video described its principles, a generalized protocol, and some its uses in the biomedical field. Thanks for watching!
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Microcrystallography of Protein Crystals and In Cellulo Diffraction

Summary

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Chapters in this video

Growing Protein Crystals with Distinct Dimensions Using Automated Crystallization Coupled with In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering

Microfluidic Chips for In Situ Crystal X-ray Diffraction and In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering for Serial Crystallography

Crystallization and Structural Determination of an Enzyme:Substrate Complex by Serial Crystallography in a Versatile Microfluidic Chip

Microcrystal Electron Diffraction of Small Molecules

Crystallization of Proteins on Chip by Microdialysis for In Situ X-ray Diffraction Studies

Assessing Two-dimensional Crystallization Trials of Small Membrane Proteins for Structural Biology Studies by Electron Crystallography

On-Chip Crystallization and Large-Scale Serial Diffraction at Room Temperature

High-Throughput Protein Crystallization via Microdialysis

Protein Crystallization for X-ray Crystallography

Protein Crystallization