Analysis of the nucleation and crystal growth kinetics of lysozyme by a theory of self-assembly.

Concentration changes in supersaturated solutions during the nucleation and growth of the orthorhombic form of hen egg-white lysozyme crystals have been observed for 121 d at 35 degrees C and pH 4.6, and with 3% NaCl. The effect of a variation in the initial protein concentration on the rate of approach to solubility in equilibrium is analyzed, by applying a model, originally developed for the understanding of protein self-assembly. It is shown that the observed kinetics can be explained fairly well by this model, whose basic assumptions are that (a) the nucleation is induced by aggregation of i0 molecules into particular geometry, and (b) the growth proceeds via attachment of a monomer. The i0 value for this process is four, which agrees with the number of molecules in a unit cell. Similarity and dissimilarity of the observed crystal growth to that of low molecular weight substances are discussed.