Along the lines of Jeroen's suggestion, we've enjoyed success with surface entropy reduction mutations to alter crystal contacts. UCLA has an SER analysis server at: http://nihserver.mbi.ucla.edu/SER/ Ho UC Berkeley ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It mostly means little intermolecular contacts in one direction because=20 of charge repulsion, shape incomplementarity etc etc. One thing to try is screen for additives that can help to make more=20 contacts between the layers or, screen for new crystal forms using=20 microseed matrix screening! - J. -