In vivo protein crystallization opens new routes in structural biology.

ABSTRACT: Protein crystallization in cells has been observed several times in nature. However, owing to their small size these crystals have not yet been used for X-ray crystallographic analysis. We prepared nano-sized in vivo-grown crystals of Trypanosoma brucei enzymes and applied the emerging method of free-electron laser-based serial femtosecond crystallography to record interpretable diffraction data. This combined approach will open new opportunities in structural systems biology.

SUBMITTER: Koopmann R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3429599 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature