Neutron crystallography: opportunities, challenges, and limitations

Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2008 Oct;18(5):593-600. doi: 10.1016/j.sbi.2008.06.009. Epub 2008 Aug 7.

Abstract

Neutron crystallography has had an important, but relatively small role in structural biology over the years. In this review of recently determined neutron structures, a theme emerges of a field currently expanding beyond its traditional boundaries, to address larger and more complex problems, with smaller samples and shorter data collection times, and employing more sophisticated structure determination and refinement methods. The origin of this transformation can be found in a number of advances including first, the development of neutron image-plates and quasi-Laue methods at nuclear reactor neutron sources and the development of time-of-flight Laue methods and electronic detectors at spallation neutron sources; second, new facilities and methods for sample perdeuteration and crystallization; third, new approaches and computational tools for structure determination.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Catalytic Domain
  • Crystallography / methods*
  • Crystallography / trends
  • Crystallography, X-Ray / trends
  • Electrons
  • Enzymes / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Neutrons
  • Nuclear Reactors
  • Protein Conformation
  • Quantum Theory
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • X-Rays

Substances

  • Enzymes