Crystallization of Membrane Proteins

Knowledge of the structure of biological macromolecules forms the basis of understanding their function and their mechanism of action, and lays the foundation for rational protein and drug design. The only method to obtain this knowledge is crystallography. This book provides guidelines, and is aimed at biochemists and protein crystallographers.

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The precise knowledge of the structure of biological macromolecules forms the basis of understanding their function and their mechanism of action. It also lays the foundation for rational protein and drug design. The only method to obtain this knowledge is still crystallography. At present, the structures of about 400 proteins are known at or nearly at atomic proteins. However, only two of them are membrane proteins or complexes of the membrane proteins. The reasons for the difference is not the crystals of membrane proteins resists forming special problems when being analysed. The reason is that the membrane proteins resist into forming into well-ordered crystals. The intention of this book is to help to produce well-ordered crystals proteins and to provide guidelines, it is aimed at both biochemists and protein crystallographer‘s.