Crystallography Made Crystal Clear: A Guide for Users of Macromolecular Models / Edition 3

by Gale Rhodes

Overview

Crystallography Made Crystal Clear makes crystallography accessible to readers who have no prior knowledge of the field or its mathematical basis. This is the most comprehensive and concise reference for beginning Macromolecular crystallographers, written by a leading expert in the field. Rhodes' uses visual and geometric models to help readers understand the mathematics that form the basis of x-ray crystallography. He has invested a great deal of time and effort on World Wide Web tools for users of models, including beginning-level tutorials in molecular modeling on personal computers. Rhodes' personal CMCC Home Page also provides access to tools and links to resources discussed in the text. Most significantly, the final chapter introduces the reader to macromolecular modeling on personal computers-featuring SwissPdbViewer, a free, powerful modeling program now available for PC, Power Macintosh, and Unix computers. This updated and expanded new edition uses attractive four-color art, web tool access for further study, and concise language to explain the basis of X-ray crystallography, increasingly vital in today's research labs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780125870733
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	02/16/2006
Series:	Complementary Science Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Gale Rhodes earned a B.S. in applied mathematics at North Carolina State University, and then a Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of North Carolina. He is currently a professor of chemistry at the University of Southern Maine, Portland. His main duty, and first love, is teaching undergraduate biochemistry. He has received awards for outstanding teaching at three different colleges. His best known publication is the first edition of Crystallography Made Crystal Clear, which received very complimentary reviews in several journals. He has also published three book chapters, three book reviews, and about 30 articles on diverse subjects, including research articles in biochemistry, and articles on chemistry, science, and interdisciplinary education.

Table of Contents

1. Model and Molecule2. An Overview of Protein Crystallography3. Protein Crystals4. Collecting Diffraction Data5. From Diffraction Data to Electron Data6. Obtaining Phases7. Obtaining and Judging the Molecular Model8. A User's Guide to Crystallographic Models9. Other Diffraction Methods10. Other Kinds of Macromolecular Models11. Tools for Studying Macromolecules

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Expanded and updated edition uses four-color art and concise language to explain the basis of X-ray crystallography

Editorial Reviews

Praise for the first edition"Well-written...in my opinion is now the best reference for noncrystallographers who want to know more about X-ray diffraction and the data that result from it." —AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY

From the Publisher

3 Stars from Doody

The first volume of this work was a useful addition to the field of crystallography, and this second edition is a worthy successor. "The intent is to provide a basic introduction to x-ray crystallography of proteins. "The author of this volume provides students and researchers with a general interest a convenient pathway to understanding the technology and how it is applied. "He offers up-to-date, ancillary information on X-ray sources (synchrotron radiation) and NMR, the only other method for obtaining tertiary structural information. In an introductory chapter he provides an overview of x-ray analysis and follows this with a discussion of crystallization techniques, data acquisition, the phase problem, and modeling. Brief discussions of other structural methods are also of value. "The crystallographic structure of myoglobin and hemoglobin provides an enormous impetus to this strategy since only this x-ray approach offers a close three-dimensional look at proteins. Much of the methodology involved has remained difficult to assimilate, largely because of the intense mathematical requirements and complex data gathering involved. Scientists wishing to understand x-ray methods without having to tackle the mathematics will be well rewarded by reading this volume.

Eugene A. Davidson

Describes the logical threads that connect diffraction patterns to the molecular models displayed on personal computers. Focusing on proteins, Rhodes (chemistry, University of Southern Maine) overviews how researchers use the technique of X-ray crystallography to learn macromolecular structures. The second edition adds two chapters on other diffraction methods, and other types of models. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Reviewer: Eugene A Davidson, PhD (Georgetown University School of Medicine)
Description: The first volume of this work was a useful addition to the field of crystallography, and this second edition is a worthy successor.
Purpose: The intent is to provide a basic introduction to x-ray crystallography of proteins.
Audience: The author of this volume provides students and researchers with a general interest a convenient pathway to understanding the technology and how it is applied.
Features: He offers up-to-date, ancillary information on X-ray sources (synchrotron radiation) and NMR, the only other method for obtaining tertiary structural information. In an introductory chapter he provides an overview of x-ray analysis and follows this with a discussion of crystallization techniques, data acquisition, the phase problem, and modeling. Brief discussions of other structural methods are also of value.
Assessment: The crystallographic structure of myoglobin and hemoglobin provides an enormous impetus to this strategy since only this x-ray approach offers a close three-dimensional look at proteins. Much of the methodology involved has remained difficult to assimilate, largely because of the intense mathematical requirements and complex data gathering involved. Scientists wishing to understand x-ray methods without having to tackle the mathematics will be well rewarded by reading this volume.

Doody's Review Service