Emerging Topics in Macromolecular Crystallography
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Macromolecules".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2025 | Viewed by 172
Special Issue Editors
Interests: structural biology; cancers; epigenetics; demethylation; transcription regulation; viral polymerase; drug discovery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: structural biology; protein crystallography; cryo-electron microscopy; bacterial proteins; Helicobacter pylori; transport proteins
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Macromolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates, play vital roles in life. As we know, structures are the basis of functions. Therefore, structural determination is key to our understanding of various biological processes. Macromolecular crystallography is a pivotal technique in uncovering the structures and functions of bio-macromolecules. It focuses on the study of the structure and properties of large molecular assemblies, particularly their crystal forms. It involves growing crystals and analyzing their structure using X-ray diffraction techniques. This field has witnessed remarkable advancements in recent years, driven by advancements in experimental techniques and computational methods. For example, AlphaFold3, an artificial intelligence method, was released in May 2024. It can predict a reliable 3D complex structure including proteins, nucleic acids, small molecules, ions, and modified residues. As the research in this area continues to grow and expand, it brings forth numerous emerging topics at the forefront of scientific exploration. The results from macromolecular crystallography are revolutionizing our understanding of macromolecular behavior and their roles in various biological processes and diseases.
The present Special Issue aims to summarize newly developed technologies and methodological advances in the field, as well as the structure and function of a special macromolecule; to take stock of the present situation; and to create a virtual forum for the future of macromolecule crystallography.
Prof. Dr. Zhongzhou Chen
Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Zanotti
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- macromolecular crystallography
- structural biology
- artificial intelligence
- structure determination
- molecular mechanism
- functions
- drug discovery
- protein
- nucleic acid
- carbohydrates
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