PICKScreens, A New Database for the Comparison of Crystallization Screens for Biological Macromolecules: Published as part of the Crystal Growth & Design virtual special issue on the 13th International Conference on the Crystallization of Biological Macromolecules (ICCBM13)

Extensive screening during crystallization trials is necessary, especially for challenging but interesting targets, that is, large multisubunit complexes or membrane proteins. Producing high amounts of such macromolecules is difficult, so it is important to perform screening efficiently. However, commercial screens are redundant, leading to unnecessary or unwanted sample consumption, and cannot be visually compared, because the manufacturers’ formulations are not formatted uniformly. PICKScreens, a database reporting Profile of Identities among Crystallization Kit Screens, will help crystallographers “pick” screens in a more rational manner, minimizing sample consumption and hopefully enhancing their success rate. It is available at https://registration.cc.biophys.mpg.de/fam-core/.