gillesc@che.udel.edu

Protein/polymer phase diagrams: implications for protein crystallization

Co-Advisor: Prof. Abraham Lenhoff

Protein crystallization is an essential step in many fields including structural biology, material science, medical science and pharmaceutical production. Intensive efforts have been made in the last 15 years in order to understand and predict protein nucleation and crystal growth. However, many questions still remain unanswered and it appears that a better understanding of protein phase diagrams is necessary. A specific issue is that it has been pointed out that a metastable liquid-liquid phase separation could affect protein crystallization. This project focuses more specifically on protein/polymer phase diagrams. The polymer used is polyethylene glycol (or PEG), a well-known crystallizing agent. The goal of this work is to investigate the influence of the protein/PEG size ratio on the general features of the protein/PEG phase diagram. The liquid-liquid phase separation and its influence on protein crystallization will also be characterized.