The Effects of Electric Fields on Protein Phase Behavior and Protein Crystallization Kinetics
Debes Ray, Mahnoush Madani, Jan K. G. Dhont, Florian Platten, Kyongok Kang
Abstract
We experimentally studied the effects of an externally applied electric field on protein crystallization and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and its crystallization kinetics. For a surprisingly weak alternating current (AC) electric field, crystallization was found to occur in a wider region of the phase diagram, while nucleation induction times were reduced, and crystal growth rates were enhanced. LLPS on the contrary was suppressed, which diminishes the tendency for a two-step crystallization scenario. The effect of the electric field is ascribed to a change in the protein-protein interaction potential.
Topics & Concepts
CrystallizationNucleationProtein crystallizationElectric fieldKineticsPhase (matter)Materials sciencePhase diagramChemical physicsThermodynamicsCrystallographyChemistryPhysicsOrganic chemistryClassical mechanicsQuantum mechanicsEnzyme Structure and FunctionCrystallization and Solubility StudiesProteins in Food Systems