|> ...look at calmodulin for an example of
|> how precise but wildly inaccurate a crystal structure can be.
If my memory serves me right, the crystal structure of the calmodulin-
peptide complex looks pretty much like the NMR structure. The
structure without the peptide looks different, of course, because there
is a flexible linker between the two halves of the molecule. But its
still not "wildly inaccurate", its just seen in one of its zillion
possible conformations. How about settling for "misleading"? Even
then, isn't it rather naive to expect one crystal structure of
something where allostery is involved to tell you everything?
Phoebe Rice
Phoebe at vger.niddk.nih.gov
