Biomacromolecule crystallization under microgravity conditions

The function of biological macromolecules is determined by their structure, and therefore elucidating the structure of biomacromolecules can not only help understand the functions of biomacromolecules but also in drug research and development to improve human health. Under normal gravity conditions, sedimentation, convection, and hydrostatic pressure affect the quality of the biomacromolecules and limit the production of large and high-resolution structures for detailed structural and functional analyses. In the space environment, especially microgravity, the effects of convection and sedimentation can be reduced or eliminated, promoting the synthesis of stable and high-quality large crystals, allowing a finer molecular structure to uncover a more precise structure-function relationship. Therefore this chapter details the various methods and instruments developed to facilitate crystal structure formation in the space environment, recent progress in crystal growth in space, and the future of protein crystallization in space.