© 1999 • 586 pp., illus., appendix, index
Paperback • ISBN  0-87969-617-6

This title also available in: Cloth

Crystals of macromolecules have become keystones of molecular biology, bridging recombinant DNA and X-ray diffraction analysis. Protein, nucleic acid, and virus crystal growth are now possible, raising hopes that virtually all macromolecules might be studied in this way. This extensively illustrated book, by a master practitioner, provides a biochemical context in which crystal growth can be pursued and instructs readers in practical aspects of the technology, laying out effective strategies for success. The underlying physical and chemical principles are presented in approachable form and the most recent advances are described, those that have succeeded in transforming the growth of macromolecular crystals from a "black art" to a firmly founded science.

This readable volume is highly recommended for every investigator in biomedicine whose studies may require a shift in focus from gene to protein product, as well as chemists and physicists interested in the function of biologically active macromolecules.

  "…McPherson's book should convince readers that the mysteries surrounding biomacromolecule crystallization are gradually being solved and that rational remedies can be brought to difficult crystallization problems. It should also encourage beginners to enter into the crystallization ‘game’ without preconceptions. Rather than simply being a compilation of recipes, this book is a nice mix of practical and theoretical considerations that will guide the experimentalist to find the adequate crystallization conditions for macromolecules of increasing structural complexity. Finally, and perhaps of most important practical, consequence, this text provides a panel of strategies for improving the quality of crystals and consequently obtaining X-ray structures of better quality."
      —Structure

  "Various books are available on crystallization theory and techniques. What makes a large part of Crystallization of Biological Macromolecules an invaluable aid to the novice and the practitioner alike is the condensation in a few chapters of the author's lifetime experience in this discipline."
      —Trends in Cell Biology

Preface

Chapter 1: The History and Character of Macromolecular Crystals

Chapter 2: Principles of Macromolecular Structure and the Applications of X-ray Crystallography

Chapter 3: The Purification and Characterization of Biological Macromolecules

Chapter 4: Some Physical and Energetic Principles

Chapter 5: Practical Procedures for Macromolecular Crystallization

Chapter 6: Important Considerations in Macromolecular Crystallization

Chapter 7: Strategies and Special Approaches in Growing Crystals

Chapter 8: Impurities, Defects, and Crystal Quality

Chapter 9: The Mechanisms and Kinetics of Macromolecular Crystal Growth

Chapter 10: Crystal Growth in Unique Environments

Appendix
Index