Resolution: Difference between revisions
From Proteopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
Eric Martz (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
Eric Martz (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
==What Limits Resolution?== | ==What Limits Resolution?== | ||
In crystals of macromolecules, it is the degree of order in the crystal that limits the resolution of X-ray crystallography. Resolution is theoretically limited by the wave length of X-rays (on the order of 1 Å), but in practice, the quality of the available crystals determines resolution. | In crystals of macromolecules, it is the degree of order in the crystal that limits the resolution of X-ray crystallography. Resolution is theoretically limited by the wave length of X-rays (on the order of 1 Å), but in practice, the quality of the available crystals determines resolution. More than half of the crystals obtained from various purified proteins are not of "atomic resolution", that is, the disorder it too great to permit determination of molecular structure. Perhaps the greatest challenge facing crystallographers is to obtain a well-ordered crystal that diffracts to "atomic resolution". | ||
==Electron Density Map vs. Resolution== | ==Electron Density Map vs. Resolution== | ||
