Research Tools for Crystal Growth

Hampton Research, a US company, provides a comprehensive range of high-quality tools for crystallization, including crystallization screens, crystallization-grade reagents, crystallization plates, hardware and accessories, protein crystallization standards, and other supplies.

Protein Crystals obtained using Crystal Screen

Crystallization Screens Crystal Screen

Crystal Screen 2 • Crystal Screen HT

The Crystal Screen and Crystal Screen 2 reagent kits are designed to provide a highly effective and rapid screening method for the crystallization of macromolecules. The screens are simple and practical for finding initial crystallization conditions. The initial crystallization conditions for more than 1,000 proteins, peptides, oligonucleotides, and small molecules have been determined using Crystal Screen.

Crystal Screen, Crystal Screen 2, and Crystal Screen HT are ready-to-use reagents that are sterile-filtered and formulated with ultra-pure Type 1 water, using the highest purity salts, polymers, organics and buffers.

Determining a Cryoprotectant

Crystal Screen Cryo • Crystal Screen 2 Cryo • Crystal Screen Cryo HT

Determining initial and optimal cryoprotectant concentration is often a process of trial and error. One must find suitable cryoprotectant concentrations which stabilize the crystal while at the same time combine with the crystallization reagent to form an amorphous glass.

The Crystal Screen Cryo kits removes the guess work from determining the preliminary glycerol concentration required to mix with the crystallization reagent to form an amorphous glass. Crystal Screen Cryo reagents are formulated with the appropriate amount of glycerol required to form an amorphous glass with each unique reagent composition.

24-well crystallization plates

Cryschem Plate is a 24 well sitting drop plate that is sealed with clear sealing tape. The polystyrene plate is supplied with a raised cover so the plate can also be sealed with vacuum grease and plain glass or plastic cover slides.
VDX Plate is a 24 well crystallization plate for hanging drop or sitting drop vapor diffusion crystallization (when used with Micro-Bridges or Glass Rods), or dialysis crystallization (when used with Dialysis Buttons).
Linbro Plate is a 24 well plate with cover is made of clear, rigid, polystyrene and used primarily for hanging drop vapor diffusion crystallization.
Intelli-Plate 24-4 (Art Robbins Instruments) is a 24 well sitting drop plate for crystallization screening and optimization.
Greiner ComboPlate and CrystalBridge is a 24 well plate with a raised cover in an SBS microplate footprint.

48-well crystallization plates

MRC Maxi 48-Well Crystallization Plate (Swissci) for Automated Optimization
VDX48 Plate with sealant 48 well plate with sealant for hanging drop vapor diffusion crystallization with a microplate footprint.
Intelli-Plate 48-2 and 48-3 (Art Robbins Instruments) is a 48 well sitting drop plate for optimization.
CrystalHarp Plate (Swissci) is designed for crystallization based on capillary diffusion and can be used for crystallization screening and optimization.

72-well crystallization plates

Microbatch 72 Well Plate (Greiner) consists of a 6 by 12 well layout. The plate is available as a plasma-treated, hydrophilic version for screening or an untreated, hydrophobic version for optimization.

96-well crystallization plates

96 Well Hanging Drop Vapor Diffusion Plate is a 96 well flat bottom polystyrene microplate, crystal clear.
CrystalQuick 96 Well Sitting Drop Plate (Greiner) is built to SBS specifications, making them well suited for high throughput crystallization and are fully compatible with robotic equipment.
HDP Hanging Drop Crystallization Plate (Swissci) is a breakthrough for protein crystallization in a 96-well format. For the first time individual wells can be identified and removed without any disturbance to the growing crystals inside the plate.
Intelli-Plate 96 (Art Robbins Instruments) is a low profile version of the Intelli-Plate 96-2 LVR (Low Volume Reservoir).
MRC Under Oil 96 Well Crystallization Plate (Swissci) is designed for microbatch crystallization.

384-well crystallization plates

CrystalEX™ 384 Well, Flat Bottom Plate (Corning) is designed for full automation in crystal screening. Features 192 reservoir wells with a 105 µl volume and 192 corresponding protein wells with a maximum volume of 4 µl. Typical reagent well volumes are 50 µl and sample well volumes are 1 µl.