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Related Concept Videos

X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples01:10

X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples

X-ray diffraction or XRD is an analytical tool that utilizes X-rays to study ordered structures such as crystalline organic and inorganic samples, polycrystalline materials, proteins, carbohydrates, and drugs.
According to Bragg's law, when X-rays strike the sample positioned on a stage, the rays are  scattered by the electron clouds around the sample atoms. The  X-ray diffraction or scattering is caused by constructive interference of the X-ray waves that reflect off the internal crystal...
X-ray Crystallography02:18

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.
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...
Determination of Crystal Structures01:29

Determination of Crystal Structures

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...
Nucleic Acid Structure01:25

Nucleic Acid Structure

The pentose sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, while in RNA the pentose sugar is ribose. The difference between the sugars is the presence of the hydroxyl group on the ribose's second carbon and a hydrogen on the deoxyribose's second carbon. The phosphate residue attaches to the hydroxyl group of the 5′ carbon of one sugar and the hydroxyl group of the 3′ carbon of the sugar of the next nucleotide, which forms  a 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage.
DNA Structure
DNA has a double-helix structure. The...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

Structural Studies of Macromolecules in Solution using Small Angle X-Ray Scattering
07:19

Structural Studies of Macromolecules in Solution using Small Angle X-Ray Scattering

Published on: November 5, 2018

Nucleic acid structure characterization by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS).

Jordan E Burke1, Samuel E Butcher

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

Current Protocols in Nucleic Acid Chemistry
|December 21, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) provides insights into macromolecular size and shape. This method is especially valuable for studying nucleic acid structures, aiding in the modeling of complexes like the U2/U6 small nuclear RNA.

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Combining X-Ray Crystallography with Small Angle X-Ray Scattering to Model Unstructured Regions of Nsa1 from S. Cerevisiae
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Analysis of SEC-SAXS data via EFA deconvolution and Scatter
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Analysis of SEC-SAXS data via EFA deconvolution and Scatter

Published on: January 28, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 15, 2026

Structural Studies of Macromolecules in Solution using Small Angle X-Ray Scattering
07:19

Structural Studies of Macromolecules in Solution using Small Angle X-Ray Scattering

Published on: November 5, 2018

Combining X-Ray Crystallography with Small Angle X-Ray Scattering to Model Unstructured Regions of Nsa1 from S. Cerevisiae
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Combining X-Ray Crystallography with Small Angle X-Ray Scattering to Model Unstructured Regions of Nsa1 from S. Cerevisiae

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Analysis of SEC-SAXS data via EFA deconvolution and Scatter
10:59

Analysis of SEC-SAXS data via EFA deconvolution and Scatter

Published on: January 28, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Structural Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is a key technique for determining macromolecular structure in solution.
  • SAXS offers insights into molecular size and shape at a resolution of approximately 2-3 nm.
  • Nucleic acids, with their electron-rich phosphate backbones, are strong X-ray scatterers, making SAXS ideal for their study.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide general protocols for sample preparation, data acquisition, and data analysis for SAXS experiments.
  • To illustrate the application of SAXS in modeling nucleic acid structures, particularly their regular helical forms.
  • To demonstrate the use of SAXS in conjunction with NMR for refining all-atom models of RNA complexes.

Main Methods:

  • Sample preparation for SAXS analysis.
  • Data acquisition using small angle X-ray scattering.
  • Data processing and analysis, including quality control with examples.

Main Results:

  • SAXS data yield information on molecular dimensions and conformation in solution.
  • The strong scattering of nucleic acids facilitates structural investigations.
  • Combined SAXS and NMR approaches can refine complex molecular models, such as the U2/U6 snRNP.

Conclusions:

  • SAXS is a powerful and increasingly utilized method for structural biology, especially for nucleic acids.
  • Standardized protocols enhance the reliability and reproducibility of SAXS studies.
  • The integration of SAXS with other biophysical techniques, like NMR, advances the accuracy of structural modeling.