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Free‐falling Crystals: Biological Macromolecular Crystal Growth Studies in Low Earth Orbit
Author(s) -
Judge Russell A.,
Snell Edward H.,
Pusey Marc L.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
developments in chemical engineering and mineral processing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1932-2143
pISSN - 0969-1855
DOI - 10.1002/apj.5500100604
Subject(s) - macromolecule , crystallization , crystal (programming language) , diffraction , spacecraft , ice crystals , chemical physics , protein crystallization , physics , materials science , nanotechnology , crystallography , chemistry , optics , computer science , thermodynamics , biochemistry , astronomy , programming language
Abstract Spacecraft orbiting the earth experience a reduced acceleration environment due to being in a state of continuous free‐fall. This state colloquially termed microgravity, has produced improved X‐ray diffraction quality crystals of biological macromolecules. Improvements in X‐ray diffraction resolution (or detail) or signal to noise, provide greater detail in the three‐dimensional molecular structure providing information about the molecule, how it works, how to improve its function or how to impede it. Greater molecular detail obtained by crystallization in microgravity, has important implications for structural biology. In this paper we examine the theories behind macromolecule crystal quality improvement in microgravity using results obtained from studies with the model protein, chicken egg white lysozyme.