Graphene‐Based Nucleants for Protein Crystallization

Protein crystallization remains a major bottleneck for the determination of high resolution structures. Nucleants can accelerate process but should ideally be compatible with throughput robotic screening. Polyethylene glycol grafted (PEGylated) graphenes stabilized in water providing dispensable, nucleant systems. Two graphitic feedstocks are exfoliated and functionalized PEG using non-destructive, scalable, chemical reduction method, delivering good dispersibility (80 750 µg mL−1 large small layers, respectively). The wide utility these nucleants has been established across five proteins three different screens, each 96 conditions, demonstrating greater effectiveness dispersed PEGylated graphenes. Smaller numbers larger, more crystalline flakes consistently act as better protein nucleants. delivered concentration is optimized (0.1 mg condition), performance benchmarked against existing state art, molecularly imprinted polymer Strikingly, graphene effective even when decreasing both to unusually low concentrations. set-up scale-up production liter volumes provide sufficient material implementation. Together results step forward toward practical synthesis readily accessible “universal” nucleant.