The Role of Oil in Protein Crystallization - Molecules: Nucleation, Aggregation and Crystallization - page 141

Summary
The different facets of the utilization of oil demonstrate that an individual oil
and/or combinations of different oils can influence the outcome of crystal-
lization experiments. The oil can play a part in the control of nucleation, affect
the rate of equilibration and consequently determine the size of the resulting
crystals. Whether used for microbatch, vapor diffusion or for control of
nucleation, the presence of oil is a parameter which can contribute to the
accuracy, cleanliness and consequently to the reproducibility of experiments.
Furthermore, the oil has a role in the protection of the trial during the course
of its duration and to the increase in the stability of the resulting crystals.
Acknowledgment
This chapter was updated based on an article published as Chayen NE.
(1997) The role of oil in macromolecular crystallization, Structure 5 (10):
1269-1274, Copyright Elsevier 1997. The UK Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the European Commission
OptiCryst Project LSHG-CT-623 2006-037793 are acknowledged for
financial support.
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