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Updated: Aug 18, 2026
Protein Crystallization for X-ray Crystallography
Published on: January 16, 2011
The Biological Macromolecule Crystallization Database and NASA Protein Crystal Growth Archive
G L Gilliland1, M Tung, J Ladner
1Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnology of the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute and National Institute of Standards and Technology, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
Abstract:
The NIST/NASA/CARB Biological Macromolecule Crystallization Database (BMCD), NIST Standard Reference Database 21, contains crystal data and crystallization conditions for biological macromolecules. The database entries include data abstracted from published crystallographic reports. Each entry consists of information describing the biological macromolecule crystallized and crystal data and the crystallization conditions for each crystal form. The BMCD serves as the NASA Protein Crystal Growth Archive in that it contains protocols and results of crystallization experiments undertaken in microgravity (space). These database entries report the results, whether successful or not, from NASA-sponsored protein crystal growth experiments in microgravity and from microgravity crystallization studies sponsored by other international organizations. The BMCD was designed as a tool to assist x-ray crystallographers in the development of protocols to crystallize biological macromolecules, those that have previously been crystallized, and those that have not been crystallized.
