Basic procedure of x-ray crystallography for analysis of lectin-sugar interactions

Abstract

Most three-dimensional structures of lectins have been determined by X-ray crystallography. This method determines the molecular structure using X-ray diffraction of a crystal, thereby providing structural information at the atomic level. In this chapter, an overview of the method for protein crystallography is briefly introduced, including a description of several techniques for analysis of the molecular and sugar-binding structure of lectins.