New light for science: synchrotron radiation in structural medicine

DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2006.09.006
PMID: 17005277

Authors: Thomas L.-M. Sorensen (Diamond Light Source) , Katherine E. Mcauley (Diamond Light Source) , Ralf Flaig (Diamond Light Source) , Elizabeth M. H. Duke (Diamond Light Source)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Trends In Biotechnology , VOL 24 , PAGES 500 - 508

State: Published (Approved)
Published: November 2006

Abstract: Macromolecular crystallography (MX) is a powerful method for obtaining detailed three-dimensional structural information about macromolecules. MX using synchrotron X-rays has contributed, significantly, to both fundamental and applied research, including the structure-based design of drugs to combat important diseases. New third-generation synchrotrons offer substantial improvements in terms of quality and brightness of the X-ray beams they produce. Important classes of macromolecules, such as membrane proteins (including many receptors) and macromolecular complexes, are difficult to obtain in quantity and to crystallise, which has hampered analysis by MX. Intensely bright X-rays from the latest synchrotrons will enable the use of extremely small crystals, and should usher in a period of rapid progress in resolving these previously refractory structures.

Journal Keywords: Macromolecular Crystallography; Structure-Based Drug Design

Subject Areas: Biology and Bio-materials, Medicine


Technical Areas:

Added On: 10/11/2010 08:51

Discipline Tags:

Health & Wellbeing Structural biology Drug Discovery Life Sciences & Biotech

Technical Tags: