Genomics Chapter 11: Protein Structure Prediction

4 levels of protein structure

primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary

What aspect of X-rays allows it to be used to determine protein structure?

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation that have short enough wavelengths to determine individual atoms in the protein

How do protein molecules need to be arranged, and why, for an X-ray?

All protein molecules must be oriented in the same direction to ensure that X-rays scatter from the atoms in predictable directions (diffraction pattern)

In order for the proteins to be positioned correctly in the X-ray, what must happen to them?

The proteins must be crystallized

Steps to X-ray crystallography

1. Isolation and purification of the protein

2. Crystallization

3. X-ray diffraction and data collection

4. Diffraction pattern analysis

What is the hanging drop method of protein crystallization?

The salt concentration in the hanging drop suspended from the glass lid is half of the salt concentration in the reservoir solution.