Proteins

[Samy]

Proteins don't form perfect crystals, why? 

 

[Strange]

I assume it is because they are large with irregular and complex shapes. 

Simple geometric crystals are usually formed from smaller molecules which can pack together in regular ways. 

[John Cuthber]

Why do people insist on trying to explain things that don't actually happen and why things that do happen, can't happen?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_crystallization

[Dagl1]

1 minute ago, John Cuthber said:

Why do people insist on trying to explain things that don't actually happen and why things that do happen, can't happen?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_crystallization

Hmm,  I feel like I am missing the link between this post and the OP's post (and the general topic), it SEEMS (I am not trying to misinterpret you!!) that you seem to disagree with either Strange's post or your own link. But seeing as I have seen a lot of posts of you before, I doubt this is what you mean, so my bad if I am (most certainly) misunderstanding you.

-Dagl

[Strange]

22 hours ago, Samy said:

Proteins don't form perfect crystals, why? 

 

What do you mean by perfect? (All crystals have flaws, especially ones that grow naturally)

[John Cuthber]

Practically no crystals are prefect.

 

Proteins, and even entire viruses can form pretty good crystals.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/231608?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

 

So the opening post makes no sense.

It's like saying " how come we can't build brick walls/"

Andyet, rather than saying - "we can build them", people don't bother to check.

They draw up elaborate explanations for things that are not actually true.

Hence my questions

Why do people insist on trying to explain things that don't actually happen ?

Why do people insist on trying to explain why things that do happen, can't happen?

 

 

 

 

[Dagl1]

Just now, John Cuthber said:

Practically no crystals are prefect.

 

Proteins, and even entire viruses can form pretty good crystals.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/231608?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

 

So the opening post makes no sense.

It's like saying " how come we can't build brick walls/"

Andyet, rather than saying - "we can build them", people don't bother to check.

They draw up elaborate explanations for things that are not actually true.

Hence my questions

Why do people insist on trying to explain things that don't actually happen ?

Why do people insist on trying to explain why things that do happen, can't happen?

 

 

 

 

I suppose we are interpreting this question differently; I would say: OP is asking about perfect crystals, proteins don't form perfect crystals. Why don't they form perfect crystals?

And this seems to be true (although slightly irrevalant, yes proteins don't form PERFECT crystals, but is that needed?)

But maybe we are talking past each other, if that is the case, my bad!!

-Dagl

[John Cuthber]

If the question is "hwy don't proteins form perfect crystals" then the answer is "The same reason other things don't; the laws of thermodynamics".

There's nothing special about proteins in this regard.

[BabcockHall]

https://www.mitegen.com/learn/technotes/mosaicity/

https://journals.iucr.org/d/issues/2005/06/00/ic5050/

I know just enough about this subject to be dangerous.  However, from what I have read the process of flash cooling can increase the mosaicity of a protein crystal.  I also found this of interest from the second link:  "The mosaicity provides a simple measurement of crystal quality independent of many experimental parameters. It has been used to characterize successfully the improvement seen in some microgravity samples i.e. a reduction in the reflection mosaic spread providing a corresponding increase in the signal-to-noise ratio of the reflection..."