A medium-throughput crystallization approach

In the context of a medium-scale structural genomics program, a crystallization approach was based on a two-step procedure: a large screening step employing robotics, followed by manual or automated optimization of the crystallization conditions. A nanodrop dispensing robot (50-200 nl) proved to be useful for obtaining diffracting crystals while using small amounts of protein. In 10 months, 25 proteins were subjectred to crystallization, 13 yielded crystals among which ten led to usuable data sets and five to structures.