Open AccessTemperature‐dependent macromolecular X‐ray crystallography
Author(s) -
Weik Martin,
Colletier JacquesPhilippe
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
acta crystallographica section d
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1399-0047
DOI - 10.1107/s0907444910002702
Subject(s) - macromolecule , atmospheric temperature range , crystallography , x ray , materials science , chemical physics , radiation damage , range (aeronautics) , chemistry , radiation , thermodynamics , physics , optics , biochemistry , composite material
X‐ray crystallography provides structural details of biological macromolecules. Whereas routine data are collected close to 100 K in order to mitigate radiation damage, more exotic temperature‐controlled experiments in a broader temperature range from 15 K to room temperature can provide both dynamical and structural insights. Here, the dynamical behaviour of crystalline macromolecules and their surrounding solvent as a function of cryo‐temperature is reviewed. Experimental strategies of kinetic crystallography are discussed that have allowed the generation and trapping of macromolecular intermediate states by combining reaction initiation in the crystalline state with appropriate temperature profiles. A particular focus is on recruiting X‐ray‐induced changes for reaction initiation, thus unveiling useful aspects of radiation damage, which otherwise has to be minimized in macromolecular crystallography.