The pre~cnc~ of semi! a~ phlphile~ has been found to b¢ necessary in tile crystallization of several ntcn~l~rane.protein('~urfaetant complexes. It has been sl,lllt~¢~tetl that the role of the small amphiphilc may I~ to reduce the ,~ize of the surfactant belt ~Lround the protein, m=~kinlI tile I'orn~ation of cr)'stal~ easier. Thus I'ar it was not known if thi~ ~,w.mld involve chanllcs in mic¢llar si~e in [!eneral or ,,vhcther rite small amphiphile would merely replace LDAO during crystal Ilro',~th In the present stt~dy we have used slnall anl$1e neutron scatlcring to sttldy mixed mic~ltes el' lauryldin~cthyl amine oxidc (LDAO; hydrogen:Ileal and dcuterated) anti Itep|=tne.l,2,3.triol (HP), Our results show that with incrcasintl overall lip concentrations mixed LDAO,:HP mi~telle~ of decrca,~inll mas~ and radiu,~ are formed, The compo~ition of the~c mtcelles ha~ been determined. HP th~l~ ma~' decrease the size of tile ~urfactant bdt around a protein before cry~;talltsation by insertion into .t host micclle, As HP is a 'small urnphiphile' conlpared to the surfactant,~ used for soluhilization of n~embrane proteins, the curvature of the host n'~icelle will be increased by its insertion.M,,mbrane protein cryst:tlliz:ttk~n: Surfactant micelle~: Mixed micellcs; Small ampltiphiles: Small an[tie neutron scattering

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