Crystallization of a large single crystal of a B-DNA decamer for a neutron diffraction experiment by the phase-diagram technique

Crystallization of a large single crystal of a B-DNA decamer, d(CCATTAATGG), for a neutron-diffraction experiment has been accomplished by an analysis of its solubility phase diagram and a large single crystal was successfully crystallized at around the minimum solubility point of the oligonucleotide: 30%(v/v) MPD, 100 mM MgCl₂ pD 6.6 using 0.4 ml D₂O solutions of the DNA (sample concentration 1.5 mM). It is confirmed that the resulting crystal (dimensions: 1.7 × 1.3 × 0.6 mm) diffracts sufficiently well for neutron data collection.