Preparation and Characterization of Metal–Organic Framework Coatings for Improving Protein Crystallization Screening
Qin Yang,
Zhenkun Zhang,
Lin Wang,
Xiwen Xing,
Jiahai Zhou,
Long Li
Affiliations
Qin Yang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Zhenkun Zhang
CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
Lin Wang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Xiwen Xing
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Jiahai Zhou
CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
Long Li
CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
Modifying crystallization plates can significantly impact the success rate and quality of protein crystal growth, making it a helpful strategy in protein crystallography. However, appropriate methods for preparing nano-sized particles with a high specific surface area and strategies for applying these nanoparticles to form suitable coatings on crystallization plate surfaces still need to be clarified. Here, we utilized both an ultrasonic crusher and a high-pressure homogenizer to create a nano metal–organic framework (MOF), specifically HKUST-1, and introduced a solvent evaporation method for producing MOF coatings on 96-well crystallization plates to induce protein crystal growth. The morphology of MOF coatings on the resin surface of the plate well was characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Compared to the control group, crystallization screening experiments on nine proteins confirmed the effectiveness of plates with MOF coatings. Applying MOF coatings to crystallization plates is an easy-to-use, time-efficient, and potent tool for initiating crystallization experiments.
