Comparative analysis of anti-polyglutamine Fab crystals grown on Earth and in microgravity

Huntington's disease is one of nine neurodegenerative diseases caused by a polyglutamine (polyQ)-repeat expansion. An anti-polyQ antigen-binding fragment, MW1 Fab, was crystallized both on Earth and on the International Space Station, a microgravity environment where convection is limited. Once the crystals returned to Earth, the number, size and morphology of all crystals were recorded, and X-ray data were collected from representative crystals. The results generally agreed with previous microgravity crystallization studies. On average, microgravity-grown crystals were 20% larger than control crystals grown on Earth, and microgravity-grown crystals had a slightly improved mosaicity (decreased by 0.03 ° ) and diffraction resolution (decreased by 0.2   Å ) compared with control crystals grown on Earth. However, the highest resolution and lowest mosaicity crystals were formed on Earth, and the highest-quality crystal overall was formed on Earth after return from microgravity.

Source: Acta Crystallographica Section F - September 21, 2016 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Owens, G.E. New, D.M. Olvera, A.I. Manzella, J.A. Macon, B.L. Dunn, J.C. Cooper, D.A. Rouleau, R.L. Connor, D.S. Bjorkman, P.J. Tags: Huntington's disease International Space Station microgravity polyglutamine X-ray crystallography huntingtin crystallization research communications Source Type: research