/sci/ - Science & Math

I'm normally on /b/ but this seemed like a better place to ask my question. I've thought of a novel method for protein crystallization and i'm wondering a) if it's already been thought of and b) if it could potentially work.

So my idea is to add a membrane anchor (palmitate, GPI, etc.) to the protein in question. Insert multiple copies of the anchored protein to an artificial membrane. Since they are all in the same plane, shouldn't it be easier for them to form a lattice? And couldn't this lattice serve as sort of a large nucleation site for free unmodified copies of the protein to build on, thus forming a 3d crystal from a 2d lattice? Obviously there would still have to be multiple trials and errors with the crystallizing solution as per usual, but I think my membrane anchoring idea could facilitate the initial formation of the crystal.