Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

X-ray Crystallography02:18

X-ray Crystallography

21.6K
The size of the unit cell and the arrangement of atoms in a crystal may be determined from measurements of the diffraction of X-rays by the crystal, termed 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...
21.6K
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes02:58

Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes

28.5K
Crystal Field Theory
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
28.5K
Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes02:46

Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes

47.6K
Tetrahedral Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than...
47.6K
Crystallographic Point Groups01:29

Crystallographic Point Groups

131
Crystallographic point groups represent the various symmetry operations that can occur within crystals. They are unique in that at least one point will always remain unchanged during these actions. For instance, consider the triclinic system. This system, devoid of any axis or plane of symmetry, aligns with the C1 and Ci point groups.where Cᵢ is characterized solely by a center of inversion.Contrastingly, the monoclinic system introduces an element of symmetry. This system with one plane...
131
Determination of Crystal Structures01:29

Determination of Crystal Structures

139
In the late 1800s, the revelation that light extended beyond visible wavelengths led to the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen. Recognized as high-energy electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths, X-rays prompted exploration into their interaction with crystals. Max von Laue proposed in 1912 that the periodic arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in crystals would cause them to diffract X-rays, a hypothesis confirmed through experiments with copper sulfate and zinc sulfide...
139
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Stoichiometric Point Defects01:26

Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Stoichiometric Point Defects

147
Schottky defects arise when some lattice points in a crystal, such as those in NaCl, remain unoccupied, creating lattice vacancies without disturbing the overall electrical neutrality of the crystal. This defect is common in ionic crystals where the positive and negative ions are similar in size, as seen in sodium chloride and cesium chloride. The presence of Schottky defects enables the crystal to conduct electricity to a small extent through an ionic mechanism. Electric fields cause nearby...
147

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Explainable machine learning revealing the impact of mental and physical health on arthritis.

BMJ health & care informatics·2026
Same author

A shared amyloid fold in cardiac fibrils from three neuropathy-associated ATTR variants.

Structure (London, England : 1993)·2026
Same author

How Sup35 monomer conformation and amyloid fibril polymorphism determine yeast strain phenotypes.

Research square·2025
Same author

Porous materials: The next frontier in energy technologies.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025
Same author

A Biomimetic Twisting Strategy Enables Efficient Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Energy-Dense Hydrazine Hydrate on FeN<sub>2+2</sub>C<sub>4+4</sub> Sites.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2025
Same author

A Shared Amyloid Architecture in Cardiac Fibrils from Three Neuropathy-Associated ATTR Variants.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 6, 2026

A Sample Preparation Pipeline for Microcrystals at the VMXm Beamline
09:00

A Sample Preparation Pipeline for Microcrystals at the VMXm Beamline

Published on: June 17, 2021

4.0K

Draft crystal structure of the vault shell at 9-A resolution.

Daniel H Anderson1, Valerie A Kickhoefer, Stuart A Sievers

  • 1Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.

Plos Biology
|November 30, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Researchers crystallized large vault ribonucleoprotein structures, revealing their atomic model. This structural insight may unlock new functions for vaults in innate immunity and as nanocapsules.

More Related Videos

Sample Preparation and Transfer Protocol for In-Vacuum Long-Wavelength Crystallography on Beamline I23 at Diamond Light Source
10:32

Sample Preparation and Transfer Protocol for In-Vacuum Long-Wavelength Crystallography on Beamline I23 at Diamond Light Source

Published on: April 23, 2021

2.5K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Protein Structure Analysis for Drug Development
07:08

Author Spotlight: Advancing Protein Structure Analysis for Drug Development

Published on: March 8, 2024

4.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 6, 2026

A Sample Preparation Pipeline for Microcrystals at the VMXm Beamline
09:00

A Sample Preparation Pipeline for Microcrystals at the VMXm Beamline

Published on: June 17, 2021

4.0K
Sample Preparation and Transfer Protocol for In-Vacuum Long-Wavelength Crystallography on Beamline I23 at Diamond Light Source
10:32

Sample Preparation and Transfer Protocol for In-Vacuum Long-Wavelength Crystallography on Beamline I23 at Diamond Light Source

Published on: April 23, 2021

2.5K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Protein Structure Analysis for Drug Development
07:08

Author Spotlight: Advancing Protein Structure Analysis for Drug Development

Published on: March 8, 2024

4.2K

Area of Science:

  • Structural biology
  • Cell biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Vaults are the largest known cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein complexes.
  • They are implicated in innate immunity and self-assemble from major vault protein.
  • Vaults encapsulate other proteins and small RNA molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the atomic structure of vaults.
  • To provide insights into vault assembly and potential functions.
  • To explore vaults as nanocapsules for biotechnological applications.

Main Methods:

  • Crystallization of rat liver vaults and recombinant vaults (cpMVP vaults).
  • X-ray crystallography at 9-Å resolution.
  • Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and molecular replacement for phasing.
  • Density modification including symmetry averaging.
  • Fitting of atomic models derived from NMR and ab initio prediction.

Main Results:

  • Successfully crystallized large vaults, achieving 9-Å resolution.
  • Determined the structure of empty vaults (cpMVP vaults) with a molecular mass of 4.65 MDa per half vault.
  • Developed a draft atomic model of cpMVP by integrating experimental data with computational modeling.
  • Identified potential functional sites based on loop locations within the atomic model.

Conclusions:

  • The study presents the first atomic-level model of vault structures.
  • The detailed structure provides a foundation for understanding vault assembly and function.
  • The identified structural features suggest potential applications of vaults as nanocapsules.