title: Protein nanocrystallography: a new approach to structural proteomics.
abstract: This article describes a new approach to structural proteomics that can produce and characterize diffracting, stable and radiation-resistant crystals of miniscule dimensions using nanotechnology. We believe that the protein microcrystals obtained by nanotechnology-based protein thin-film template crystallization, as well as groundbreaking technology, such as atomic force microscopy, nanogravimetry and synchrotron microfocus, have enabled protein nanocrystallography to be defined as a unique technology capable of forming and characterizing stable protein microcrystals down to atomic resolution. A new route from art to science and technology has, therefore, been opened in protein crystallography, and it could be used to unravel the mysteries of many systems that remain unsolved.
authors.affiliation: Nanoworld Institute, Department of Biophysical M&O Sciences and Technologies, University of Genova, Corso Europa 30, 16132 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pechkova
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nicolini
mesh_terms: D047390:Casein Kinase II / Q000737:chemistry; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008958:Models, Molecular; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods*; D017356:Synchrotrons
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme; D047390:Casein Kinase II