Thaumatin crystallization aboard the International Space Station using liquid-liquid diffusion in the Enhanced Gaseous Nitrogen Dewar (EGN)

This paper reports results from the first biological crystal-growth experiment on the International Space Station (ISS). Crystals of thaumatin were grown using liquid-liquid diffusion in Tygon® tubing transported in the Enhanced Gaseous Nitrogen Dewar (EGN). Different volume ratios and concentrations of protein and precipitant were used to test different adaptations of the vapor-diffusion crystallization recipe to the liquid-liquid diffusion method. The EGN warmed up from 77 to 273 K in about 4 d, about the same time it took to warm from 273 to 293 K. The temperature within the EGN was 293-297 K for the majority of the experiment. Air gaps that blocked liquid-liquid diffusion formed in the tubes. Nonetheless, crystals were grown. Synchrotron diffraction data collected from the best space-grown crystal extended to 1.28 Å, comparable to previous studies of space-grown thaumatin crystals. The resolution of the best ground-control crystal was only 1.47 Å. It is not clear if the difference in diffraction limit arises from factors other than crystal size. Improvements in temperature control and the elimination of air gaps are needed, but the results show that the EGN on the ISS can be used to produce space-grown crystals that diffract to high resolution.