Strong and specific effects of cations on lysozyme chloride solubility

• Published in: Acta crystallographica. Section D, Biological crystallography. Vol. 58; no. 10-1; pp. 1582 - 1587
• Main Authors: Bénas, Philippe, Legrand, Laurent, Riès-Kautt, Madeleine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 5 Abbey Square, Chester, Cheshire CH1 2HU, England Munksgaard International Publishers 01.10.2002
• Subjects: Animals; Cations; chloride salts; Chlorides - chemistry; Crystallization; Hofmeister series; isoionic lysozyme; Muramidase - chemistry; Solubility; Temperature; Thermodynamics
• ISSN: 1399-0047; 0907-4449; 1399-0047
• DOI: 10.1107/S0907444902014518

The influence of salt nature and concentration on tetragonal lysozyme chloride crystal solubility is presented for a set of mono‐, di‐ and trivalent cations (Cs+, Rb+, Mn2+, Co2+ and Yb3+). The results show that cations have as strong an effect on protein solubility as anions and that they present their own particular effects as co‐ions. Indeed, after decreasing at low ionic strength, lysozyme solubility increases with high concentration of polyvalent cations, probably due to co‐ion binding and therefore the concomitant increase of the net charge of the protein‐salt complex. These new results are discussed in order to progress in the understanding of the crystallisation process at the atomic level.