Why is the osmotic second virial coefficient related to protein crystallization?

摘要

A molecular basis is presented for characterizing the osmotic second virial coefficient, B_(22), of dilute protein solutions, which provides a measure of the nature of protein-protein interactions and has been shown to be correlated with crystallization behavior. Experimental measurements of the second virial coefficient of lysozme and bovine α-chymotrypsinogen A were performed by static light scattering, as a function of pH and electrolyte concentration.