Thanks all for your kind suggestions. Thanks for Janet for pointing out that I actually mess up with some terminology. The microbatch I mentioned is not real "microbatch". What I meant to say is the 3 subwell plates with 96 wells, from Greiner (CrystalQuick Cat.-No.: 609101). So what i'm trying to ask is that with this type of plates, the reservoir buffer volume is 100 uL, vs hanging drop with 600 uL, that will it be harder to get crystals?
On Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 1:54 PM, Patrick Shaw Stewart <[email protected] > wrote: > Rui > > > > Microbatch – which I take to mean crystallization under oil with no > reservoir - has many advantages, but with some robots it’s a little slower > to set up (20 mins on ours). So most people I know start off with vapor > diffusion and only move to microbatch if they have problems with VD. > > > > It seems to find as many hits as vapor diffusion, but in different > conditions – see *http://www.douglas.co.uk/mbnvdall.htm* > > > > Main advantages: > > 1. Gives thinner skins on drops and less protein is lost on the > surface > > 2. The oil often protects sensitive proteins such as membrane > proteins or oxygen sensitive proteins > > 3. You can change temperature freely (no condensation etc.) > > 4. Very good for use with volatile organics, see e.g. * > http://www.douglas.co.uk/winner1.htm* > > > > And you can use it with “MMS” microseeding just like VD – very important I > believe. > > > > I guess the main disadvantage is that it can be hard to harvest crystals > through the oil (although some say the oil makes it easier because you can > take your time) > > > > People are using smaller and smaller reservoirs so I guess one day they’ll > realize that you don’t need a reservoir ;-) > > > > Good luck > > > > Patrick > > > > > > > > -- > > For information and discussion about protein crystallization and > automation, please join > > our bulletin board at http://groups-beta.google.com/group/oryx_group?hl=en > > > > [email protected] Douglas Instruments Ltd. > > DouglasHouse, EastGarston, Hungerford, Berkshire, RG177HD, UK > > Directors: Peter Baldock, Patrick Shaw Stewart > > http://www.douglas.co.uk/ > > Tel: 44 (0) 148-864-9090 US toll-free 1-877-225-2034 > > Regd. England 2177994, VAT Reg. GB 480 7371 36 > > > > > > *From:* CCP4 bulletin board [mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of * > rui > *Sent:* 22 April 2009 17:06 > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* [ccp4bb] microbatch vs hanging drop > > > > Hi, > > > > I have a question about the method for crystallization. With traditional > hanging drop(24 wells), one slide can also hold for multiple drops but it > requires the buffer quite a lot, > 600uL? Microbatch can save buffers,only > 100uL is required, and also can hold up to three samples in the sitting > well. Other than saving the buffer, what's the advantage of microbatch? > Which method will be easier to get crystals or no big difference? Thanks for > sharing. > > > > R >
