Development of a Protein Crystal Formation System With a Superconducting Magnet

作者：Okada Hidehiko^*; Hirota Noriyuki; Matsumoto Shinji; Wada Hitoshi; Kiyohara Motosuke; Ode Takahiro; Tanokura Masaru; Nakamura Akira; Ohtsuka Jun

来源：IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 2013, 23(3): 3700104.

DOI：10.1109/TASC.2012.2232693

• Magnetic levitation
• microgravity
• protein
• superconducting magnet

We have developed a protein crystal formation system, which can, on the ground, suppress convections, exerting magnetic forces on the solution including proteins. The protein formation system consists of a superconducting magnet system, protein crystallization cells, and observational equipment; the latter two devices are placed in the magnet bore. The superconducting magnet system includes two coil groups, each generating a magnetic field opposing in direction to each other. The product of magnetic flux density and its spatial gradient is proportional to the magnetic force and needs to be approximately 1400 T-2/m in order to levitate water. The magnet is operated in persistent current mode. The crystallization cells are made of a transparent plastic on a plate. The experimental space and cells can be controlled between 4 degrees C and 20 degrees C. The observational equipment, which is a kind of periscope, enables in-situ observation of protein solution in high magnetic fields. In order to optimize experimental conditions, we have also carried out a simulation study based on a solution flow model.

• 出版日期2013-6