Origin of a Species: History and observations of one high throughput crystallization laboratory J. R. Luft, R. J. Collins, S. M. Gulde, A.M. Lauricella, C. A. Mancuso, J. L. Smith, C. K. Veatch, and G. T. DeTitta Recent Advances in Macromolecular Crystallization Le Bischenberg, France May 8-11, 2005

Hypothesis By executing a large number of precipitation reactions for a large number of proteins we could predict crystallization conditions for a previously un-crystallized protein by comparison of precipitation behavior. Protein Binary Code PSS Unknown Protein B Protein A

What is the most efficient way to execute precipitation reactions? Batch, in particular microbatch in a capillary –Minimize solution volume requirements for precipitation cocktails

Good, but not Great Maximum throughput (manual) 50 experiments/technician/day Crystals were a ‘by-product’.

Microbatch Under Oil Chayen, N.E., Stewart, P.D.S., Blow, D.M., Journal of Crystal Growth, 122 (1992) Minimal solution volumes Plates for storage and handling

Mothers and Daughters Mother (source) / Daughter (destination) plates Efficient parallel setups … source destination

Solution Delivery Pump Slot pins Pipettes Syringes Faster Syringes

Screening for Crystallization Leads * Oil 2.Crystallization Cocktail 3.Macromolecular Solution

Quantity How Many Experiments? –20 plates per day (~ 200/month) –200(plates) x 1536(experiments) x 6(images) Generates 1.8 million images/month As of 3/17/2005: 4877 (plates) x 1536 (experiments) 7.5 million experiments 45 million images 469 active users

Setups per Month

HT Infrastructure at HWI

Variables 1.Plate 2.[Cocktail] 3.Oil 4.Sample [salt] 5.Sample State (solid or liquid) [M] [C]

1. The Plate February 2004 –Square to circular cross-section well Better visibility Now in production at Greiner BioOne –LBR plates “significantly higher water absorption” 1 2

Image Quality mm 0.7 mm

LBR Plate Imaged with Cross-Polarized Light

2. Cocktail Dehydration Plates prepared with oil Cocktail added to plates (200nl) Plates are stored at 4 o C for 1 day – 2 weeks [M] [C] Dehydrate C drop Decrease V c drop Increase [C] Decrease dilution of [M] Increase [M] exp ?

3. The Oil Paraffin Oil –(IR Spec grad) Emulsion formed with some batches Mineral Oil –(USP grade) December 2004

4. [Salt] in the Samples Compared salt concentrations for 392 samples –([KCl] + [NaCl]) mM All samples were set up using the ‘standard’ 1536 screen and outcomes reviewed

Compared 158 samples shipped: –76 Frozen (dry ice) –82 Liquid (wet ice) All samples were set up using the ‘standard’ 1536 screen and outcomes reviewed 5. State of the Samples

Frozen Samples versus Liquid Samples frozen liquid Samples with hits Samples with no hits Number of Samples

Distribution # of Hits 45% had 8 or fewer leads from 1536 experiments

In Conclusion…

Work supported in part by the John R. Oishei Foundation, the Cummings Foundation NIH RR016924, NIH P50 GM and NIH P50 GM Special thanks to Bob Cudney Greiner Bio-One And …. Acknowledgements