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| STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY | home > about hwi > what does hwi do? > structural biology | |||||
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No microscope has sufficient power to let us observe biological molecules and their interactions directly. Instead, structural biologists (such as the scientists at HWI) use tools provided by X-ray crystallography or Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. For example, in a crystallographic experiment, a single crystal of a purified substance such as a protein is exposed to X-rays. The X-rays are scattered in many directions to produce a so-called diffraction pattern, and a complex mathematical analysis of the diffraction data (a process known as "solving" the structure) is used to determine the shape and atomic arrangement of the molecules comprising the crystal. Once the structure has been solved, molecular models can be constructed and examined for insight into how the protein molecules function, what might be happening when disease occurs, and what compounds might be designed as drugs to modify activity. |
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The pictures on this page represent the steps in the process of structure determination by X-ray crystallography. To follow the story of a protein as it progresses through this process, begin by clicking on the Gene Cloning icon and follow the pathway as indicated on each page. |
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| For more information, click on one of the images | ||||||
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