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 Diffraction of Biological Samples01:10

X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples

3.8K
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...
3.8K
X-ray Crystallography02:18

X-ray Crystallography

23.9K
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...
23.9K
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction01:07

Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

2.4K
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be used to determine the 3D structure of biological samples with the help of techniques such as electron microscope tomography and single-particle reconstruction. While single-particle reconstruction can examine macromolecules and macromolecular complexes in vitro conditions only, tomography permits the study of cell components or small cells in vivo.
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...
2.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Piezoelectricity from Dopant-Induced Structural Distortions in Molecular Crystals Revealed by Raman Spectroscopy.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Synthesis, crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of <i>N</i>-(2,6-di-methyl-phen-yl)-2-morpholinoacetamide, a Lidocaine analog.

Acta crystallographica. Section E, Crystallographic communications·2026
Same author

Rethinking the Nature and Extent of Inductive Effects in Organic Compounds.

Journal of chemical education·2026
Same author

Damselflies overcome color saturation barriers of photonic glasses via pigment loading and refractive index modulation.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Structural properties, polymorphism, and multiscale disorder unravel energy transport limitations in perylene diimide semiconductors.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Lanthanide tweezer complexes for luminescence detection of aromatic pollutants in water.

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2025

Protein Crystallization for X-ray Crystallography
09:27

Protein Crystallization for X-ray Crystallography

Published on: January 16, 2011

63.6K

Structure Determination of Biogenic Crystals Directly from 3D Electron Diffraction Data.

Avital Wagner1, Johannes Merkelbach2, Laura Samperisi2

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheba 8410501, Israel.

Crystal Growth & Design
|February 12, 2024
PubMed
Summary

3D electron diffraction (3D ED) successfully determined the crystal structures of biogenic guanine from animal sources. This technique overcomes limitations of traditional X-ray diffraction for small, sensitive biogenic crystals.

More Related Videos

Fully Autonomous Characterization and Data Collection from Crystals of Biological Macromolecules
07:11

Fully Autonomous Characterization and Data Collection from Crystals of Biological Macromolecules

Published on: March 22, 2019

6.9K
Microcrystallography of Protein Crystals and In Cellulo Diffraction
09:35

Microcrystallography of Protein Crystals and In Cellulo Diffraction

Published on: July 21, 2017

9.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 3, 2025

Protein Crystallization for X-ray Crystallography
09:27

Protein Crystallization for X-ray Crystallography

Published on: January 16, 2011

63.6K
Fully Autonomous Characterization and Data Collection from Crystals of Biological Macromolecules
07:11

Fully Autonomous Characterization and Data Collection from Crystals of Biological Macromolecules

Published on: March 22, 2019

6.9K
Microcrystallography of Protein Crystals and In Cellulo Diffraction
09:35

Microcrystallography of Protein Crystals and In Cellulo Diffraction

Published on: July 21, 2017

9.1K

Area of Science:

  • Biomineralization
  • Crystallography
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Biogenic crystals, including purines, pteridines, and flavins, are vital for animal coloration and vision.
  • Determining the crystal structures of these biogenic materials is difficult using traditional X-ray diffraction (XRD) due to crystal size and sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate the utility of 3D electron diffraction (3D ED) for determining the crystal structures of small, beam-sensitive biogenic materials.
  • To determine the crystal structure of biogenic guanine from various animal sources.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized 3D electron diffraction (3D ED) for structure determination.
  • Collected 3D ED data from guanine crystals found in spider integument, fish scales, and scallop eyes.
  • Confirmed results using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis.

Main Results:

  • Successfully determined the crystal structures of biogenic guanine using 3D ED.
  • All analyzed biogenic guanine crystals were identified as the known β-polymorph.
  • Validated the 3D ED findings with powder XRD data.

Conclusions:

  • 3D electron diffraction (3D ED) is a powerful method for analyzing nanometer-to-micrometer sized biogenic molecular crystals.
  • Structural knowledge of biogenic materials is crucial for understanding their optical functions and developing new biomaterials.
  • This work advances the field of organic biomineralization and the application of biogenic optical materials.