Abstract: A high throughput crystallization methodology using 1,536 well microassay plate technology is described. The methodology uses mother-daughter plate technology with robotic control to deliver oil, unique crystallization cocktails, and a protein solution to each of the wells. This provides 1,536 unique microbatch crystallization experiments using as little as 6 mg of protein in 600 microliters of solution. The time required to deliver a protein solution to a prepared experiment plate is less than 10 minutes. A plate imaging system with a capacity of 28 microassay plates is also described. The imaging system digitally records the results of the experiments for later comparison to database results.

Abstract: A high throughput crystallization methodology using 1,536 well microassay plate technology is described. The methodology uses mother-daughter plate technology with robotic control to deliver oil, unique crystallization cocktails, and a protein solution to each of the wells. This provides 1,536 unique microbatch crystallization experiments using as little as 6 mg of protein in 600 microliters of solution. The time required to deliver a protein solution to a prepared experiment plate is less than 10 minutes. A plate imaging system with a capacity of 28 microassay plates is also described. The imaging system digitally records the results of the experiments for later comparison to database results.

Abstract: A varisized diffusion cell device (10) comprising a plurality of diffusion cells (18) arranged in rows (20A) to (20F) having progressively greater depths for growing high quality, diffraction grade crystals, is described. In use, the diffusion cells receive a quantity of crystallizing agent (32) that dissolves and diffuses through a head of solvent solution (34) to equilibrate with a drop (38) containing a subject macro-molecular material for growing crystals. The various depths of the diffusion cells provide various diffusion rates and therefore various equilibration rates. Through empirical methods, an optimum diffusion rate for a given crystal growth system can easily be determined.