Assessing the quality of a structural model through PDB validation reports and quality measures
The better the experimental data collected, the better the chances the scientists can build a well-fitting, geometrically-sound atomic model. But […]
Interpreting AlphaFold predictions
On the right-hand side of the screen, you’ll see a green plot. This is graphically depicting the Predicted Aligned Error […]
Intrinsically Disordered Regions (IDRs), Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs), and IUPred scores & plots
We often think about proteins as being these beautifully-shaped things, composed of spiraling alpha-helixes and accordion-like sheets of beta-strands. And […]
Structural biology: What is it? And what do structural biologists do?
Structural biologists are best known for taking molecular “pictures” of proteins and other macromolecules (using methods like x-ray crystallography and […]
X-ray crystallography maps (viewing & understanding 2Fo-Fc, Fo-Fc, etc.) & an overview of the phase problem
In X-ray crystallography, electrons in a crystal interact with x-rays to generate a diffraction pattern. Then crystallographers work backwards from […]
Resolution in structural biology
When it comes to biomolecular structures, higher resolution corresponds to lower numbers & “better” structures. This is because resolution refers […]
Protein flexibility, conformational changes, and intrinsically disordered regions (IDR’s)
Bottom line: proteins like to move around – we call their different “poses” conformations and we call their shape-shifts conformational […]
Vapor diffusion crystallization – theory & practice
Vapor diffusion crystallography methods harness the power of evaporation to remove water from a protein solution, raising the protein’s concentration […]
Photo 51 – Fiber diffraction and the DNA double helix
What the frack is fiber diffraction? And how does a blurry X Xplain DNA structure? You’ve likely seen “Photo 51” […]
