The XRC Core consist of four modules:

A Robotic Crystallization Module, in which microgram quantities of protein (bar coded) will be screened, using robotics and mirco-arrays, against 50-100 sets of conditions known to produce protein crystals. A high throughput robotic crystallization system, capable of screening 1000 conditions per hour using less than 300 micrograms of protein (10 mg/ml), is currently under development at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. (more details)

A Data Collection Module, where the necessary X-ray diffraction data needed to determine structure are collected on the protein crystals in X-ray diffraction laboratories at UGA. UAB, UAH, GSU and via robotics and tele-presence at the Southeast Regional Collaborative Access Team's (SER-CAT) synchrotron beamlines at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, outside of Chicago, IL. SECSG partners have contributed over $4 million towards the constriction of the SER-CAT beamlines. The first beamline is expected to be fully operational in early 2002. The second beamline will begin construction in June 2001 and will be operational in 2003.

A Phase Calculation Module, where University of Georgia partners are developing rapid and cost effective phasing methods, including direct determination of protein structure using single-wavelength data.

A Computer Graphics Module, where the protein sequence is fitted into the electron density maps generated from the X-ray diffraction data. Once the sequence has been fitted, the structure will be refined against the X-ray data and stereochemistry of the structure to give the best agreement with the experimental data.


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