Hierarchical organization in aggregates of protein molecules

The aggregation of proteins into small clusters is studied by atomic force and electron microscopy. Scaling laws and fractal behaviour in the growth of the aggregates and in the correlation between aggregates is seen. A phase diagram of the aggregation process where the protonic concentration of the solution and the density of protein are varied shows the existence of specific growth processes resulting in different branch-like structures. The resulting structures are strongly influenced by the shape of each protein molecule. Lysozyme and ribonuclease are found to form spherical structures with a narrow size distribution.