Wow, thanks.   I'm going to try to answer most of the questions I've
received in one message as I'm overwhelmed by the quick multitude of
responses.

As I stated earlier, I haven't collected any room temperature data,
yet.  So, I don't know the unfrozen mosaicity.  It is very possible
that the crystals are simply mosaic at RT, too.  I have tried
flash-cooling in liquid nitrogen and "gas cooling" in the cryo-stream,
I didn't notice a difference in the diffraction pattern.

My solvent content is on the high side about 67%.  Additional crystal
details, I set the trays up at 20 degrees.  The crystals take about 2
weeks to appear and another week to grow to full size.  The crystals
are bipyrimidal and often 150x150x300 although sometimes smaller.
Typically, there's about 34-39% MPD in the well solutions.  The well
solution freezes clear and I don't get any ice rings in my diffraction
patterns.  I've tried looping the crystals directly out of the drop or
adding a few microletters of well solution and then looping, I didn't
notice a difference.  I've been hesitant to start adding extras
fearing crystal cracking.   I did however switch to freezing directly
in the automounter puck which was my one low mosacity crystal but I
had plenty of other crystals in the puck that weren't better then
before.

I was wondering if the MPD concentration could cause problems and
sounds like it might be.  So, with the crystals I have I'll try higher
MPD to dehydrate and try freezing in lower MPD concentration or add
some other cryoprotectants to my current well solution.  Although, I
might have to go find some propane.

If that doesn't work maybe, I'll try seeding at lower MPD
concentrations or pressure freezing.

Thanks again,
Mary

Reply via email to