Electron microscopic studies on the initial process of lysozyme crystal growth

摘要

The initial process of lysozyme crystallization has being investigated by negatively stained electron microscopy. In the initial process of crystallization, two steps were distinguished by the appearance of associating protein molecules. One is the formation of the short threads, and the other the formation of the spherical structure (looks like a rice-ball). Form among the mass of the rice-balls, larger structure appears. Some of them show the arrangement of molecules as crystalline lattice. The spacing between the molecules agrees with one of the lattice constants known for the tetragonal lysozyme crystals. The rice-balls may be taken into crystals as essential growth units. Similarly, the thread-like strictures may be the unit to form the rice-balls that appear in the next step.