Macromolecular Crystallography

A comprehensive and approachable introduction to crystallography — now updated in a valuable new edition The Second Edition of this well-received book continues to offer the most concise, authoritative, and easy-to-follow introduction to the field of crystallography. Dedicated to providing a complete, basic presentation of the subject that does not assume a background in physics or math, the book's content flows logically from basic principles to methods, such as those for solving phase problems, interpretation of Patterson maps and the difference Fourier method, the fundamental theory of diffraction and the properties of crystals, and applications in determining macromolecular structure. This new edition includes a vast amount of carefully updated materials, as well as two completely new chapters on recording and compiling X-ray data and growing crystals of proteins and other macromolecules. Richly illustrated throughout to clarify difficult concepts, this book takes a non-technical approach to crystallography that is ideal for professionals and graduate students in structural biology, biophysics, biochemistry, and molecular biology who are studying the subject for the first time.

Macromolecular Crystallography Protocols, now in two volumes, examines major developments that have occurred since publication of the acclaimed first edition nearly a decade ago. Volume 1 is composed of detailed protocols for the preparation and optimization of crystals. Volume 2 complements the first volume by addressing laboratory techniques for crystal handling and structural characterization. The volume concludes with a survey of available crystallographic software.

In the decade since publication of the first edition this book, the field has seen several major developments. These developments have both accelerated the pace of structure determination and made crystallography accessible to a broader range of investigators. Volume I is dedicated to crystallization and ways to increase the odds of obtaining crystals in macromolecules. Volume 2 covers both computational methods for characterizing crystals and solving structures.

This volume is a collection of the contributions presented at the 42nd Erice Crystallographic Course whose main objective was to train the younger generation on advanced methods and techniques for examining structural and dynamic aspects of biological macromolecules. The papers review the techniques used to study protein assemblies and their dynamics, including X-ray diffraction and scattering, electron cryo-electron microscopy, electro nanospray mass spectrometry, NMR, protein docking and molecular dynamics. A key theme throughout the book is the dependence of modern structural science on multiple experimental and computational techniques, and it is the development of these techniques and their integration that will take us forward in the future.

Annotation Accurate molecular structures is vital for rational drug design and for structure based functional studies directed toward the development of effective therapeutic agents and drugs. Crystallography can reliably predict structure, both in terms of folding and atomic details of bonding. * Phases * Map interpretation and refinement * Analysis and software.

Macromolecular Crystallography is the study of macromolecules (proteins and nucleic acids) using X-ray crystallographic techniques in order to determine their molecular structure. The knowledge of accurate molecular structures is a pre-requisite for rational drug design, and for structure-based function studies to aid the development of effective therapeutic agents and drugs. The successful determination of the complete genome (genetic sequence) of several species (including humans) has recently directed scientific attention towards identifying the structure and function of the complete complement of proteins that make up that species; a new and rapidly growing field of study called 'structural genomics'. There are now several important and well-funded global initiatives in operation to identify all of the proteins of key model species. One of the main requirements for these initiatives is a high-throughput crystallization facility to speed-up the protein identification process. The extent to which these technologies have advanced, calls for an updated review of current crystallographic theory and practice. This practical reference book features the latest conventional and high-throughput methods, and includes contributions from a team of internationally recognized leaders and experts. It will be of relevance and use to graduate students, research scientists and professionals currently working in the field of conventional and high-throughput macromolecular crystallography.

This volume contains 20 papers from two courses ("Methods for Macromolecular Crystallography" and "Chemical Prospective in Crystallography of Molecular Biology") held during the late spring of 2000 in Reice, Italy. The papers discuss crystals, synchrotrons, detector development, data processing, ab initio phasing and high and low resolution, molecular placement, experimental phase measurement, density modification methods, map improvements, interpretation of electron density maps, automatic structure determination, and the dissection of ultra-high resolution structures. c. Book News Inc.

The papers presented in this volume report the striking progress X-ray diffraction has facilitated in the study of structural molecular biology. Coupled with the revival of the Laue method, the advent of high-intensity synchrotron radiation sources has made possible the rapid collection of X-ray crystallography data, thereby allowing protein and virus crystallography to progress from studies of equilibrium structures to time-resolved studies of structures at reaction stages. The book also details the many recent technological developments in physics, chemistry and biochemistry that have been critical for the full exploitation of the synchrotron Laue method in the study of dynamic events in crystals. Necessary future developments are discussed.