Electrorheological crystallization of proteins and other molecules

US5525198A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• George D. Craig · Lafayette, US
• Bernhard Rupp · Eppingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 23, 1995
• Grant date: Jun 11, 1996
• Expiry date: Jan 23, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C30B29/58
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

An electrorheological crystalline mass of a molecule is formed by dispersing the molecule in a dispersion fluid and subjecting the molecule dispersion to a uniform electrical field for a period of time during which time an electrorheological crystalline mass is formed. Molecules that may be used to form an electrorheological crystalline mass include any organic or inorganic molecule which has a permanent dipole and/or which is capable of becoming an induced dipole in the presence of an electric field. The molecules used to form the electrorheological crystalline mass are preferably macromolecules, such as biomolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipoproteins and viruses. Molecules are crystallized by a method in which an electric field is maintained for a period of time after the electrorheological crystalline mass has formed during which time at least some of the molecules making up the electrorheological crystalline mass form a crystal lattice. The three dimensional structure of a molecule is determined by a method in which an electrorheological crystalline mass of the molecule is formed, an x-ray diffraction pattern of the electrorheological crystalline mass…