Enabling Technologies to Macromolecular Crystallization

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Structural biology, the study of the shapes of biologically important molecules, is a foundational science in the understanding of life; it is principally the result of single crystal diffraction studies. The project "Enabling Technologies for Macromolecular Crystallization" expands upon the work of the High Throughput Search Lab (HTSlab), a macromolecular crystallization facility at the Hauptman-Woodward Institute in Buffalo, NY. The HTSlab specializes in the development of high throughput methods to grow crystals of macromolecules suitable for diffraction studies; the formation of such crystals is a significant bottleneck in the science of structural biology. We will continue to partner with general biology, structural biology and structural genomics groups to undertake crystallization trials and enable analysis of these trials on as many as 1000 macromolecules each year. We will work in three areas: the provision of crystallization expertise and services for members of the three biology communities; the development and testing of crystallization methods and materials in a high throughput environment; and the integration of informatics services and tools for the analysis of crystallization results. We expect to work closely with the PSI community as it directs its further efforts toward a deeper understanding of the biology of complex systems.