Ab initio crystallographic structure determination of insulin from protein to electron density without crystal handling

Insulin crystals suitable for cryogenic data collection and structure determination by single-wavelength anomalous scattering (SAS) were obtained by a self-optimization screening process in a single capillary tube without manipulation of the crystals at any time. Using the counter-diffusion crystallization technique, screening for optimal conditions for crystal growth, incorporation of a strong anomalous scattering halide and cryogenic solution took place simultaneously in a single capillary tube. The crystals in the capillaries can be placed directly in the cryostream for data collection using a conventional home-laboratory X-ray source. High-redundancy data were used to obtain a Patterson solution from the anomalous signal of iodine. As a result, the anomalous scattering-atom position was determined and the phase calculated, giving rise to an initial electron-density map at 2.4 Å resolution. This entire procedure from crystal growth to the determination of an initial structure was performed within four weeks.