Service / Technology Instance

About Macromolecular Crystallisation, Oxford, UK

View All Crystallisation at Instruct

Instruct provides full use of the Strubi-crystallisation facility for setting up crystallisation experiments and monitoring these experiments via a web-based graphical user interface (GUI). Facilities include setting up screening experiments and also various optimisation methods including grid screens and additive screens. Experiments are typically performed in 100nL sample + 100nL reagent vapour-diffusion format.

Service Availability:

Physical

Instruments Available:

Access to Instruct crystallisation provides full use of the Strubi-crystallisation facility for setting up crystallisation experiments and monitoring these experiments via a web based GUI. The PX-Scanner is an integral part of the automated crystallisation screening process, allowing fast in-situ analysis of crystals, which can significantly shorten the path to diffraction quality crystals.

User Guide

Typical sample volumes required are 15 µL per 96 well nanodrop crystallisation plate. The optimal protein concentration is determined with a pre-crystallisation test and is usually between 5 and 10 ml/mg depending upon the nature of the sample. Please try to use a minimal buffer in which the sample is stable, and try to avoid phosphate buffer if possible.

A wide range of primary screens and optimisation methods are available. Plates are set up at room temperature and then transferred to storage and imaging systems at 20.5°C or 6.5°C. Experiments can be monitored remotely from the user's home laboratory.  A general description of the facility can be found here: New developments for automated protein crystallisation in microplates.

Instruct Centre

University of Oxford

University of Oxford

University of Oxford

Oxford

United Kingdom

https://www.ox.ac.uk/

Contacts:

Tom Walter
Tom Walter
University of Oxford
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Jonathan Grimes
Jonathan Grimes
Oxford Particle Imaging Centre, University of Oxford
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