Surfactant Poloxamer 188 as a New Crystallizing Agent for Urate Oxidase

Abstract

We characterize a new class of crystallizing agent for soluble protein crystallization compatible with both pharmaceutical processes and high-resolution structure determination in biocrystallography. Poloxamers are amphiphilic nonionic multiblock polymers used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Poloxamer P188 (EO75PO31EO75) is generally used as an emulsifier, solubilizer, and dispersing and wetting agent in the preparation of solid dispersions. Here, we divert the surfactant properties of poloxamer P188 at low concentrations into crystallizing properties at high concentrations of poloxamer P188 to crystallize urate oxidase and to control its crystal design.