Harry Can you clarify why you get "a substantially better structure at cryo temperatures" e.g higher intensity at high resolution due to reduction in B factors, reduction in radiation damage, anything else? Colin
-----Original Message----- From: CCP4 bulletin board [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of harry powell Sent: 19 June 2008 10:12 To: CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK Subject: Re: [ccp4bb] is it Ok to freeze Hi If you mean organic small molecules, then the opinion for the last 15 years at least is probably "yes, unless you know you'll have a phase change". Most small molecule crystals don't have the same problems with needing cryoprotectants as macromolecules, due in large part to not having a large proportion of water in the lattice, so the process is somewhat more straightforward. Also, most small molecule crystals can be handled quite happily in the absence of mother liquor, and you don't have to worry about them drying out while transferring to the fibre (rather than loop) which would normally be used for mounting them. Of course, there are numerous exceptions to the "most" I'm referring to here. In most cases you'll get a substantially better structure at cryo temperatures (of course, what "better" means may be open to debate). On 19 Jun 2008, at 09:47, Jayashankar wrote: Dear Scientists and Friends, I am not sure, whether organic crystals need to be in cryo stream necessarily during data collection from an in house xray machine . How most of the organic crystals have been solved mostly? -- S.Jayashankar (A bit confused new generation researcher). Research Student Institute for Biophysical Chemistry Hannover Medical School Germany Harry -- Dr Harry Powell, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, MRC Centre, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QH <DIV><FONT size="1" color="gray">This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential, copyright and or privileged material, and are for the use of the intended addressee only. If you are not the intended addressee or an authorised recipient of the addressee please notify us of receipt by returning the e-mail and do not use, copy, retain, distribute or disclose the information in or attached to the e-mail. Any opinions expressed within this e-mail are those of the individual and not necessarily of Diamond Light Source Ltd. Diamond Light Source Ltd. cannot guarantee that this e-mail or any attachments are free from viruses and we cannot accept liability for any damage which you may sustain as a result of software viruses which may be transmitted in or with the message. Diamond Light Source Limited (company no. 4375679). Registered in England and Wales with its registered office at Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, United Kingdom </FONT></DIV>