ISBN : 9780199213252
The crystallization of proteins and nucleic acids and/or their complexes has become more highly automated but is still often a trial and error based approach. In parallel, a number of X-ray diffraction based techniques have been developed which explain the physical reasons limiting the resulting crystallographic data and thus show how that data may be improved. Crystal growth is also pivotal in neutron crystallography, which establishes the hydrogen and hydration aspects. Thus this book is aimed at addressing the science behind obtaining the best and most complete structural data possible for biological macromolecules, so that the detailed structural biology and chemistry of these important molecules emerge. Crystal imperfections such as twinning and lattice disorders, as well as multiple crystal situations, and their possible remedies, are also described. The small crystal frontier in micro-crystal crystallography, crystallites in powders and finally down to the proposed single molecule structure determination of X-ray lasers are covered. Overall this interdisciplinary book will interest crystal growers, X-ray and neutron physicists and the biological crystallographers, including graduate students.
I: INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
1. Introduction
II: CRYSTALLIZATION
2. Crystallization Theory
3. Practical Methods of Crystallization
4. Screening
5. Optimization
6. Strategies when high quality crystals cannot be obtained
7. Membrane Proteins
8. Alternative Approaches
III: DIFFRACTION
9. Experimental Aspects
10. Analysis of the Molecular Short-Range Order
11. Analysis of the Long-Range Order
12. Macromolecular Crystals and Twinning
13. Other Macromolecular Crystal Diffraction Disorders
14. Degradation and Improvement of Crystal Perfection
15. Unusual Diffraction Geometries
16. Making the Most of Difficult Crystals
17. Protein Powders
18. Complementary Techniques
IV: THE FUTURE
19. The X-ray Laser and the Single Molecule
20. Overall Summary and Future Thoughts
Glossary of Abbreviations, Terms, and Symbols
References
Index