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

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Updated: Dec 11, 2025

Growing Protein Crystals with Distinct Dimensions Using Automated Crystallization Coupled with In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering

Growing Protein Crystals with Distinct Dimensions Using Automated Crystallization Coupled with In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering

Published on: August 14, 2018

Inelastic scattering and solvent scattering reduce dynamical diffraction in biological crystals.

Tatiana Latychevskaia¹, Jan Pieter Abrahams¹

¹Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland.

Acta Crystallographica Section B, Structural Science, Crystal Engineering and Materials

|August 25, 2020

Summary

Dynamical diffraction in electron crystallography is less problematic than simulations suggest. Two overlooked phenomena, solvent and inelastic scattering, mitigate its effects, reconciling theory with practice in protein structure determination.

Keywords:

cryo-EM electron crystallography electron diffraction inelastic electron scattering multislice calculation protein crystallography

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Last Updated: Dec 11, 2025

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Published on: April 24, 2018

Area of Science:

Crystallography
Electron Microscopy
Structural Biology

Background:

Multi-slice simulations predict significant dynamical diffraction effects in electron crystallography of protein crystals.
These predicted dynamical effects were expected to impede structure solution, particularly for thicker crystals.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the discrepancy between simulated and observed dynamical diffraction effects in protein electron crystallography.
To identify phenomena that reduce dynamical diffraction in practical electron crystallography experiments.

Main Methods:

Analysis of electron diffraction by three-dimensional protein crystals.
Comparison of experimental observations with multi-slice simulations.
Theoretical consideration of scattering phenomena typically omitted in simulations.

Main Results:

Solvent scattering reduces phase differences in the exit electron beam.
Inelastic scattering followed by elastic scattering diffuses dynamical scattering out of Bragg peaks.
These two phenomena independently reduce the impact of dynamical diffraction.

Conclusions:

Solvent scattering and inelastic scattering explain why dynamical diffraction is less problematic in practice than predicted by simulations.
These findings help reconcile theoretical predictions with experimental results in protein electron crystallography.
Understanding these effects is crucial for accurate protein structure determination using electron crystallography.