Often you can also avoid this skin formation by adding a bit of your reservoir solution first to make it a larger droplet.
Then the microtools as mentioned earlier or just two loops
Jürgen
......................
Jürgen Bosch
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute
615 North Wolfe Street, W8708
Baltimore, MD 21205
Phone: +1-410-614-4742
Lab: +1-410-614-4894
Fax: +1-410-955-3655
http://web.mac.com/bosch_lab/
On Nov 25, 2010, at 6:45, Rick <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear CCP4
>
> I looped a v.thin rod emerging from a cluster of v.thin rods that grew in 29%PEG1500 and 0.1M SPG buffer at pH7.5 (succinic acid, sodium dihydrogen orthophospate and glycine). The loop i used had been washed more than 10 times with deionised water (so assumed as 'clean'). The crystals had grown at 17degreesC, and looped out probably just below room temperature (~20-23 degreesC). When transferred to 5% glycerol cryo-buffer the crystal disintegrated (maybe due to glycerol being an unfavourable addition to the mother-liquor). When i looked back at the original cluster-containing drop, a very tough shell had formed over the surface of the drop, from which chunks could be dug out...the nearest analogy is maybe like when you blow-torch sugar on top of creme brulee, and have to crack it with your spoon. The crystals within had also disintegrated. Any clues to what might have caused this very tough shell to form, and maybe how to deal with it?
>
> Much appreciated
>
> Rick Salmon
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