Open AccessNew opportunities in biological and chemical crystallography
Author(s) -
Helliwell John R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of synchrotron radiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.172
H-Index - 99
ISSN - 1600-5775
DOI - 10.1107/s0909049501018465
Subject(s) - synchrotron radiation , synchrotron , crystal structure , phase problem , crystallography , phase (matter) , x ray crystallography , materials science , diffraction , chemistry , physics , optics , organic chemistry
Banerjee [ Proc. R. Soc. (1933), 141 , 188–193] offered a new way of approaching the crystallographic phase problem which not only broke new ground beyond the `trial and error' structure solution method of that time but also heralded the extremely powerful direct methods of crystallography of the modern era from the 1970s onwards in chemical crystallography. Some 2 crystal structures are known today. More complex crystal structures such as proteins required new experimental and theoretical methods to solve the phase problem. These are still evolving, and new methods and results involving synchrotron radiation at softer X‐ray wavelengths (2 Å) are reported. In addition, an overview is given of the new opportunities that are possible for biological and chemical crystallography, especially via harnessing synchrotron radiation and neutron beams.