The role of cluster formation and metastable liquid - Liquid phase separation in protein crystallization
We discuss the phase behavior and in particular crystallization of a model globular protein (beta-lactoglobulin) in solution in the presence of multivalent electrolytes. It has been shown previously that negatively charged globular proteins at neutral pH in the presence of multivalent counterions undergo a "re-entrant condensation (RC)" phase behavior (Zhang et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008, 101, 14