A complete guide to techniques and procedures for the preparation of proteins for crystallographic studies. Describes methods for protein crystallization; formation of isomorphous heavy atoms; x-ray diffraction and analysis; and photographic and computerbased data collection methods and instrumentation.

Reprint. Originally published in 1982 by Wiley. McPherson (biochemistry, U. of Calif. Riverside) provides an interface between the techniques and practices common to most biochemists and the procedures familiar to x-ray diffractionists. Acidic paper. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or

The precise knowledge of the structure of biological macromolecules forms the basis of understanding their function and their mechanism of action. It also lays the foundation for rational protein and drug design. The only method to obtain this knowledge is still crystallography. At present, the structures of about 400 proteins are known at or nearly at atomic proteins. However, only two of them are membrane proteins or complexes of the membrane proteins. The reasons for the difference is not the crystals of membrane proteins resists forming special problems when being analysed. The reason is that the membrane proteins resist into forming into well-ordered crystals. The intention of this book is to help to produce well-ordered crystals proteins and to provide guidelines, it is aimed at both biochemists and protein crystallographer‘s.

Information derived from X-ray crystal structures of biological molecules allows us to explain their functions in living organisms in extraordinary detail, and to develop drugs to treat disease. This book describes the principles and practice of X-ray diffraction as a key technique at the forefront of new discoveries in biology and medicine.