What are the Steps Involved in Protein Crystallography?
The process of protein crystallography involves several key steps:
1. Protein Purification: The protein of interest needs to be isolated and purified to a high degree. 2. Crystallization: The purified protein is then crystallized. This is often the most challenging step and involves finding the right conditions to form high-quality crystals. 3. X-ray Diffraction: The crystals are exposed to X-rays, and the diffraction pattern is recorded. 4. Data Analysis: The diffraction data is analyzed using computational methods to generate a three-dimensional model of the protein.
