Phase Problem in X‐ray Crystallography, and Its Solution
Kevin Cowtan, University of York, UK
Published online: May 2003
DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0002722
Abstract
X‐ray crystallography can provide detailed information about the structure of biological molecules if the ‘phase problem’
can be solved for the molecule under study. The phase problem arises because it is only possible to measure the amplitude
of diffraction spots: information on the phase of the diffracted radiation is missing. Techniques are available to reconstruct
this information.
Keywords: X‐ray diffraction; protein structure; phase problem; Patterson; crystallography
References
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San Diego: Academic Press.