A novel method of determining the number of macromolecules per asymmetric unit from accurate crystal-volume measurements

Knowledge of the number of macromolecules per crystallographic asymmetric unit is frequently useful in the determination of crystal structures. A method has been developed to establish this number directly from measurements of the volume and macromolecular contents of a crystal. The volume of a crystal is determined by measuring the volume of solvent that it displaces in a fine capillary tube. The macromolecular mass contained in a crystal is measured by dissolving the crystal in a known amount of water or suitable buffer and then measuring the UV absorbance of the solution. The method has been tested successfully on three different crystals of known structures.