Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 31, 2026

An All-in-one Sample Holder for Macromolecular X-ray Crystallography with Minimal Background Scattering
Published on: July 6, 2019
A novel method of determining the number of macromolecules per asymmetric unit from accurate crystal-volume
1Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520-8114, USA.
Abstract:
Knowledge of the number of macromolecules per crystallographic asymmetric unit is frequently useful in the determination of crystal structures. A method has been developed to establish this number directly from measurements of the volume and macromolecular contents of a crystal. The volume of a crystal is determined by measuring the volume of solvent that it displaces in a fine capillary tube. The macromolecular mass contained in a crystal is measured by dissolving the crystal in a known amount of water or suitable buffer and then measuring the UV absorbance of the solution. The method has been tested successfully on three different crystals of known structures.
More Related Videos
07:08Crystallization and In Situ Room Temperature Data Collection Using the Crystallization Facility at Harwell and Beamline VMXi, Diamond Light Source
Published on: March 8, 2024
11:20Automated Protocols for Macromolecular Crystallization at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Published on: January 24, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Determination of Crystal Structures
Crystal Density
X-ray Crystallography
Diffraction
Diffraction is the change in the direction of travel experienced by an electromagnetic wave when it encounters a physical barrier whose dimensions are comparable to those of the wavelength of the light. X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths about as long as the distance between neighboring...