Novel Detergents for Membrane Proteins

Crystallization of membrane-proteins has been a difficult problem because of their peculiar physiconature. We will develop detergents that closely mimic the biological milieu inhabited by membrane prdetergents are expected to form large micelles; thereby, allowing the formation of larger, and hopefcrystals than the presently used detergents. Two families of novel detergents will be synthesized, pchemically characterized,. A few selected detergents will then be tested at the Lawrence Berkeley Lab/c1 complex and PhoE Porin for the ability to promote crystallization and the type, size and diffraformed.