Introduction -- Crystallization theory -- Practical methods of crystallization -- Screening -- Optimization -- Strategies to apply when highquality crystals cannot be obtained -- Membrane proteins -- Alternative approaches -- Experimental aspects -- Analysis of the molecular shortrange order -- Analysis of longrange order -- Macromolecular crystals and twinning -- Other macromolecular crystal diffraction disorders -- Degradation and improvement of crystal perfection -- Unusual diffraction geometries -- Making the most of difficult crystals : beamline and detector optimization -- Protein powders making the most of tiny crystallites in bulk -- Complementary techniques -- The Xray laser and the single molecule no crystal needed? -- Overall summary and future thoughts
Summary
Structural biology is key to our understanding of the mechanisms of biological processes. This text describes current methods and future frontiers in crystal growth and use of X-ray and neutron crystallography, in the context of automation of crystallization and generation of synchrotron X-ray and neutron beams
