Sparse Matrix Screening in Protein Crystallization
Sparse matrix screening involves a combination of conditions (varying: pH, buffer, additive and precipitant) that have previously generated protein crystals.
This type of screening process is often recommended as the first method to attempt with a protein that has not been previously crystallized. Jancarik & Kim introduced this type of screening 1991.
Benefits:
Commercially available (see below)
Drawbacks:
Biased toward known crystallization conditions
Difficult to make a statistical conclusions due to ‘randomness’ of sampling
Here is a spreadsheet of the overlap between a number of commercially available screens that was adapted from UCLA. Sparse matrix screening is also utilized by Microlytic and Molecular Dimensions in their commercial products.
