Crystallization of Nucleic Acids and Proteins

In the last decade crystallography has emerged as a key tool for understanding the structures of biological macromolecules, yet the crystallization techniques themselves have been perceived as difficult to perform. This book provides a detailed guide to producing crystals of proteins and nucleic acids for diffraction studies. Standard crystallization methods are given, along with procedures for the preparation and handling of macromolecules. Other topics covered include seeding procedures, crystallization in gels, under microgravity and supergravity, crystallization of nucleic acids, nucleic acid-protein complexes and membrane proteins, an introduction to X-ray crystallography and automated processes. Detailed laboratory protocols and the underlying theoretical background are brought together, providing researchers with the conceptual and methodological tools necessary to exploit these techniques.