Instrumentation for Protein Crystallization and Analysis

蛋白质是一类分子，几乎执行生命所必需的所有功能。酶是一种蛋白质，可以进行我们身体和自然界中几乎所有的化学反应。为了了解酶是如何工作的，申请人详细研究了它们的结构。这些知识对于操纵这些酶用于临床目的至关重要，例如抑制或调节它们。此外，自然界中的许多酶刚刚被发现，可能在纳米技术、材料科学和生物燃料等不同领域有实际用途。表征它们的结构和活性对于开发这些应用是必要的。

Proteins are the class of molecules that carry out almost all of the functions necessary for life. Enzymes are the proteins that carry out almost all the chemical reactions required in our bodies and in nature. In order to understand how enzymes work, the applicants study their structures in detail. This knowledge is critical to manipulating these enzymes for clinical purposes, such as inhibiting or regulating them. In addition, many of the enzymes that occur in nature are just being discovered and may have practical uses in areas as diverse as nanotechnology, materials science and biofuels. Characterizing their structures and activities is necessary to exploit these applications.