NASA Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports

Biological and Physical Space Research Laboratory 2002 Science Review; December 2003, pp. 33; In English; See also
20040073490; No Copyright; Abstract Only; Available from CASI only as part of the entire parent document
NASA’s ground based program confirmed close similarity between protein and small molecules crystal growth, but also
revealed essential differences. No understanding exists as to why and when crystals grown in space are, in approx. 20 percent
of cases, of higher quality. More rationale is needed in flight experiments. Ferritin crystals grown in space are 2.5 times cleaner
than their terrestrial counterparts. This may occur because of the existence of a zone depleted with respect to impurities around
a crystal growing in stagnant solution. This zone should appear since the distribution coefficient for homologous impurities
exceeds unity. This impurity depletion zone hypothesis requires verification and development. Thorough purification from
homologous impurities brought about resolution improvement from 2.6 to 1.8 angstroms for ferritin and from 2.6 to 2.0
angstroms for canavalin.
Author (revised)
Protein Crystal Growth; Macromolecules; Crystal Defects
20040073498 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA
New Directions in Biotechnology
Biological and Physical Space Research Laboratory 2002 Science Review; December 2003, pp. 34; In English; See also
20040073490; No Copyright; Abstract Only; Available from CASI only as part of the entire parent document
The macromolecule crystallization program within NASA is undergoing considerable pressure, particularly budgetary
pressure. While it has shown some successes, they have not lived up to the expectations of others, and technological advances
may rapidly overtake the natural advantages offered by crystallization in microgravity. Concomitant with the microgravity
effort has been a research program to study the macromolecule crystallization process. It was believed that a better
understanding of the process would lead to growth of improved crystals for X-ray diffraction studies. The results of the various
research efforts have been impressive in improving our understanding of macromolecule crystallization, but have not led to
any improved structures. Macromolecule crystallization for structure determination is "one of", the job being
unique for every protein and finished once a structure is obtained. However, the knowledge gained is not lost, but instead lays
the foundation for developments in new areas of biotechnology and nanotechnology. In this it is highly analogous to studies
into small molecule crystallization, the results of which have led to our present day microelectronics-based society. We are
conducting preliminary experiments into areas such as designed macromolecule crystals, macromolecule-inorganic hybrid
structures, and macromolecule-based nanotechnology. In addition, our protein crystallization studies are now being directed
more towards industrial and new approaches to membrane protein crystallization.
Author
Biotechnology; Macromolecules; Nanotechnology; Microelectronics; Microgravity
20040073500 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA
Flight Hardware Development and Research at MSFC for Optimizing Success on the International Space Station
Biological and Physical Space Research Laboratory 2002 Science Review; December 2003, pp. 30; In English; See also
20040073490; No Copyright; Abstract Only; Available from CASI only as part of the entire parent document
To optimize biological crystallization success in microgravity in-house personnel at the MSFC are working on the
development of innovative flight hardware such as Delta-L and the Iterative Biological Crystallization (IBC) apparatus as well
as troubleshooting the performance of existing hardware. Delta-L will provide a diagnostic hardware to examine the
relationship between crystal growth characteristics and crystal quality improvement in microgravity. IBC is a new hardware
being designed to allow iteration of crystal growth experiments in microgravity using innovative lab on a chip technology.
While being built to obtain scientific data of benefit to the scientific community, the design methods involved in the
development of these hardware have directly benefited other groups within NASA and keep NASA at the forefront of
innovation.
Author
Hardware; International Space Station; Research and Development; Microgravity
20040073516 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA
The Role of Convection and Growth Competition on Phase Selection in Microgravity
Biological and Physical Space Research Laboratory 2002 Science Review; December 2003, pp. 18; In English; See also
20040073490; No Copyright; Abstract Only; Available from CASI only as part of the entire parent document
For a wide range of compositions, Fe-Cr-Ni alloys can solidify by a two-step process: a metastable solid forms first,
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