title: Combining X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy.
abstract: The combination of cryo-electron microscopy to study large biological assemblies at low resolution with crystallography to determine near atomic structures of assembly fragments is quickly expanding the horizon of structural biology. This technique can be used to advantage in the study of large structures that cannot be crystallized, to follow dynamic processes, and to "purify" samples by visual selection of particles. Factors affecting the quality of cryo-electron microscopy maps and limits of accuracy in fitting known structural fragments are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2054, USA. mgr@indiana.bio.purdue.edu
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rossmann
authors.forename: Marc C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Morais
authors.forename: Petr G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Leiman
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D015394:Molecular Structure; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000737:chemistry; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D014780:Viruses / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D014764:Viral Proteins