Question

what other techniques are similar to protein crystallization?

Answer 1

Vapor diffusion:

In this method, a droplet containing purified protein, buffer, and precipitant are allowed to equilibrate with a larger reservoir containing similar buffers and precipitants in higher concentrations. This method is used because it allows for gentle and gradual changes in concentration of protein and precipitant concentration, which aid in the growth of large and well-ordered crystals.

Microbatch:

It is a type of batch crystallization method in which all the components are directly combined into a single, supersaturated protein solution, which is then left undisturbed.

Microdialysis:

Microdialysis can produce crystals by salting out, employing high concentrations of salt or other small membrane-permeable compounds that decrease the solubility of the protein. Very occasionally, some proteins can be crystallized by dialysis salting in, by dialyzing against pure water, removing solutes, driving self-association and crystallization.