Progress in Macromolecular Crystallogenesis

What macromolecular crystallogenesis tells us – what is needed in the future

Crystallogenesis is a longstanding topic that has transformed into a discipline that is mainly focused on the preparation of crystals for practising crystallo-graphers. Although the idiosyncratic features of proteins have to be taken into account, the crystallization of proteins is governed by the same physics as the crystallization of inorganic materials. At present, a diversified panel of cry...

Progress in rational methods of cryoprotection in macromolecular crystallography

Cryogenic cooling of macromolecular crystals is commonly used for X-ray data collection both to reduce crystal damage from radiation and to gather functional information by cryogenically trapping intermediates. However, the cooling process can damage the crystals. Limiting cooling-induced crystal damage often requires cryoprotection strategies, which can involve substantial screening of solutio...

Macromolecular structure databases: past progress and future challenges.

Databases containing macromolecular structure data provide a crystallographer with important tools for use in solving, refining and understanding the functional significance of their protein structures. Given this importance, this paper briefly summarizes past progress by outlining the features of the significant number of relevant databases developed to date. One recent database, PDB+, contain...

Macromolecular synthesis in cells infected with Herpes simplex virus

Progress in macromolecular crystallography depends on further miniaturization of crystallization experiments.

X-ray crystallography is currently by far the most successful technique for determining the structures of biological macromolecules, their complexes and assemblies to high-resolution (better than 3.5 Å). These structures have been proven to assist the rational design of new drug-like molecules and they are invaluable in helping us to understand life at the atomic level. Nowadays, X-ray crystall...