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Experiment Overview


Information provided courtesy of the Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Brief Summary

The High Quality Protein Crystal Growth Experiment (JAXA PCG) is aimed at the growth of crystals of biological macromolecules by the counter-diffusion technique. The main scientific objective of the JAXA PCG experiment is to make the fine quality protein crystals under microgravity environment. And the space-grown crystals will be applied structural biology and pharmaceutical activity.

Principal Investigator(s)

Ohta Kazuo, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)

Mika Masaki, Tsukuba Space Center, Ibaraki, Japan

Developer(s)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba, , Japan

Sponsoring Space Agency

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Sponsoring Organization

Information Pending

ISS Expedition Duration:

March 2009 - September 2014

Expeditions Assigned

19/20,21/22,23/24,27/28,29/30,33/34,37/38,39/40

Previous ISS Missions

The precursor to JAXA PCG, JAXA GCF was completed in Russian Service Module from 2003 to 2008.

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Experiment Description

Research Overview

• Under microgravity conditions, convection and sedimentation are suppressed. Therefore, diffusion areas are maintained, the density around the crystals decreases, the crystals grow slowly, the capture of impurities and microcrystal decreases, and a crystal will grow well.



• High quality protein crsystals are obtained.



• Using high quality crystals obtained in space experiment, new drugs for diseases and catalysts for environment or energy are created.

Description

JAXA has developed a new technique that estimates the driving force ratio of crystals grown on the ground and in space, and the capture ratio of impurities through the diffusion/capture coefficient of protein. This technique proved that under microgravity conditions with high viscosity and slow diffusion, a protein depletion zone and impurity depletion zone will appear. Using this technique we try to get high quality protein crystals. Our goal is to contribute to yielding results which meet the social requirements.

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Applications

Space Applications

This experiment will contribute to the society by creating new drugs for diseases and new catalyst for environment or energy. That will show the effecitivity of ISS.

Earth Applications

This experiment will contribute to the society by creating new drugs for diseases and new catalyst for environment or energy.

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Operations

Operational Requirements

• After docking to ISS, move the PCG Canisters to JPM within 24 hours.



• Protein Crystallization Research Facility (PCRF) controll the tenperature at 20?C.



• After experiment, remove the PCG Canisters from PCRF cell tray and pack for return. And retrieve on Soyuz within 12 hours before undocking.

Operational Protocols

• Loading the protein samples into crystallization cells in Japan or Russia (Moscow).



• Install the crystallization cells into Crystallization Canister in Baikonur launch site.



• Launch the 2 sets of Canister on Progress.



• After docking to ISS, move the Canisters to JPM.



• Install the Canisters into the cell tray of Protein Crystallization Research Facility (PCRF) and start the experiment for around 60 to 120 days at 20?C.



• Crystal growth will start automatically from ground control. No trigger is required to onboard crew.



• After experiment, remove the Canisters from PCRF cell tray and pack for return. Retrieve on Soyuz.



• Analyze the protein 3D structure using space grown crystals at the synchrotron facility (Ex, SPring-8) on the ground.

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Results/More Information

Protein crystallization experiment in space environment has been performed for more than 20 years. JAXA has conducted protein crystallization experiment in ISS since 2003. In this experiment, totally over 300 protein samples were launched by?Russian space transportation system and JAXA developed the technology to obtain the high quality crystals in space. JAXA also established user-friendly support service system for users to apply to the space experiment easily.About 80% proteins were crystallized in past JAXA PCG mission. This ratio is almost equal to the past protein crystallization experiment of JAXA.The excellent diffraction data to be able to analyze the protein structure newly was obtained for three kinds of proteins. Now detaled structure analysis of those proteins are conducted. The space-grown crystals will be applied structural biology and pharmaceutical activity.

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Related Websites

High Quality Protein Crystallization Research (HQPC)

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Imagery

Protein Crystallization Research Facility. Image courtesy of JAXA.
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High Quality Protein Crystal Growth Experiment Canister. Image courtesy of JAXA.
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NASA Image: ISS022E057676 - View of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Soichi Noguchi, Expedition 22 Flight Engineer (FE), during installation of Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) canister into the Protein Crystallization Research Facility (PCRF).
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NASA Image: ISS028E049720 -
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