Growth Modes and Energetics of 101 Face Lysozyme Crystal Growth
From analyses of lysozyme 101 face growth rate data using a 2D nucleation model for layer-by-layer growth, we find the effective barrier for crystal growth to be gamma = 1.0 +/- 0.2 x 10(exp -13) erg/molecule. The magnitude of the effective barrier is 2.4 +/- 0.5 k(sub beta)T, at 22 C. We also find that beyond a critical solution supersaturation, sigma(sub c), crystal growth rates are more accurately described by a kinetic roughening hypothesis. Beyond sigma(sub c), crystals grow by the continuous addition of molecules anywhere on the crystal surface rather than layer-by-layer. The magnitude of the critical supersaturation (sigma(sub c), = 1.7 +/- 0.2) for a crossover from a layer-by-layer to continuous growth is found to be statistically independent of the solution conditions that vary with buffer pH, temperature or precipitant concentration. Using the experimentally determined values for gamma and sigma(sub c), we find the crystal growth unit to be comprised of 7 +/- 3 molecules. The energy barrier, E(sub c), for the continuous addition of the growth Units is 6.2 +/- 0.3 x 10(exp -13) erg/molecule or 15 +/1 1 k(sub beta)T at 22C.