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X-ray Crystallography

X-ray Crystallography

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.
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$X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples$ 01:10

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Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Interference

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An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids

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Diffuse scattering resulting from macromolecular frustration.

T R Welberry¹, A P Heerdegen, D C Goldstone

¹Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. welberry@rsc.anu.edu.au

Acta Crystallographica. Section B, Structural Science

|November 22, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Diffuse scattering in Feline Foamy Virus Gag protein crystals reveals geometric frustration due to packing constraints. This occupational disorder impacts protein structure determination.

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Study of Protein Dynamics via Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy

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Area of Science:

Crystallography
Structural Biology
Virology

Background:

Diffuse scattering provides insights into crystal imperfections.
Feline Foamy Virus Gag protein plays a role in viral assembly.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate the cause of diffuse rings in Gag protein crystals.
Understand the implications of observed disorder for structure determination.

Main Methods:

X-ray diffraction analysis of N-terminal Gag protein crystals.
Analysis of diffuse scattering patterns and Bragg peaks.

Main Results:

Observed diffuse rings attributed to geometric frustration in molecular packing.
Identified occupational disorder with two molecular arrangements (A and B).
Disorder explained by arrangements differing by a 0.2c translation to yield specific hk5n reciprocal sections.

Conclusions:

Geometric frustration and occupational disorder are key features of this Gag protein crystal.
The disorder presents challenges for conventional structure solution methods.
Diffuse scattering may offer an alternative route for structural analysis.