The Structural Biology Resource Page

This page provides links to structural biology resources into four areas, cryo-electron microscopy, crystallization, X-ray data collection, and other resources.

Cryo-EM Resources

Cryo-EM resources include key papers, books, articles, online resources, videos, cryo-EM centers, and workshops to introduce the technique. Our Cryo-EM Center provides sample preparation, characterization, full data collection, and analysis of single-particle samples. Click on the icons to the right of the categories to see details.

    Papers, books, and articles providing practical advice

    Useful online resources

    • The Caltech Getting Started in Cryo-EM course by Prof. Grant Jensen. A comprehensive treatment of cryo-EM for single particle analysis.
    • An animated movie produced by the Laboratory for Molecular Biology explaining the cryo-EM process – Cryo-EM Animation.

    Vendors

    • ThermoFisher – supplier of cryo-EM microcopes.
    • Mitegen provide a range of cryo-EM products.
    • Quantifoil provide supports and grids for data collection.

    Meetings and workshops

    With the COVID-19 pandemic, many meetings are delayed, especially when they contain practical aspects associated with crystallization.

    Crystallization Resources

    Crystallization resources include key papers, books, articles, online resources, vendors, crystallization centers, videos, and meetings and workshops. Our Crystallization Screening Center has been operating for over two decades following the principals of many of these resources and provides a rapid and efficient crystallization service to quickly assess if a project is amenable to a crystallographic approach. Provide a protein sample and we do the rest. Details on how to accomplish this are given on the Center’s page. Below are a set of resources that explain the basic to advanced concepts to crystallization, vendors, other Centers like ours across the world, and other useful information. Click the icon on the right to see the list.

      Papers, books, and articles providing practical advice

      Acta Crystallographica Section F, Structural Biology Communications produced a virtual issue entitled “Protein Crystallization – state of the art” with a series of papers covering many aspects of crystallization. We highly recommend the series and have highlighted ones that may be of particular interest for those thinking of exploring the field with *.

      There are a number of good books on the subject and we list a few which we regard as essential in the laboratory.

      Other papers that are recommended include:

      Other material that may be useful.

      • Mitegen have information on crystal mounting and have a range of posters for the lab describing crystallization plate tips, harvesting, and cryoprotecting.
      • Hampton Research have assembled a comprehensive set of guides on the hard-learned empirical basics of crystallization entitled crystallization 101. These are highly recommended.

      Useful online resources

      Vendors

      • Hampton Research provide an extensive range of crystallization supplies.
      • Mitegen provide a range of consumables and specialize in crystal growth, mounting, and cryo-EM products
      • Molecular dimensions also provide an extensive range of crystallization supplies.
      • Formulatrix provide crystallization instrumentation used by the Crystallization Screening Center
      • sptlabtech provide crystallization instrumentation
      • Art Robbins Instruments provide crystallization instruments

      Meetings and workshops

      With the COVID-19 pandemic many meetings are delayed, especially when they contain practical aspects associated with crystallization.

       

      Videos

      High-throughput Crystallization Centers worldwide

      X-ray Data Collection Resources

      X-ray data collection resources include useful reading material, sample preparation guides, data collection and processing software, laboratory X-ray systems, synchrotron beamlines, and meetings and workshops. We recommend the Industrial Macromolecular Crystallography Association – Collaborative Access Team beamline, a facility we run for industry at the Advanced Photon Source that supports proprietary studies but which is also available for non-proprietary research and brings the experience of operations for six of the top ten pharmaceutical companies to all.

      Below is a selection of resources to help the process once you get a crystal. Useful reading matter is listed followed by sample preparation guidelines, resources on data processing, and also information about laboratory X-ray systems. We also list beamlines throughout the US and recommended meetings to learn more.

       

      Useful reading

      Sample preparation guidelines

      Data collection and processing software

      • BluIce (a graphical interface for data collection used at SSRL and many other beamlines worldwide)
      • DIALS (Diffraction Integration for Advanced Light Sources)
      • XDS
      • Mosflm
      • HKL

      Laboratory X-ray systems

      Meetings and workshops

      With the COVID-19 pandemic, many meetings are delayed, especially when they contain practical aspects associated with crystallization.

       

      Other Resources

      Complementary structural biology techniques

      Small Angle X-ray Scattering. 

        Books

        Software

        Beamlines

        Meetings and workshops