X Rays in Molecular Biophysics

NOV 01, 1995

An atom‐by‐atom understanding of life processes is emerging from a flurry of experiments fueled by synchrotron sources and DNA technology.

DOI: 10.1063/1.881481

Wayne A. Hendrickson

X rays have had a profound impact in advancing the field of biology, and the pace of fundamental discovery is still accelerating. Through the awesome powers of recombinant DNA technology and synchrotron radiation, as combined in modern‐day x‐ray crystallography, ever‐more‐complicated molecules and assemblages are being worked out in atomic detail. The insights into biological processes derived from these studies are transforming cell and molecular biology.

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More about the authors

Wayne A. Hendrickson, Columbia University, New York City.