In the last decade crystallography has emerged as a key tool for understanding the structures of biological macromolecules, yet the crystallization techniques themselves have been perceived as difficult to perform. This book provides the first detailed and rational guide to producing crystals of proteins and nucleic acids for diffraction studies. Standard crystallization methods are given, along with procedures for the preparation and handling of macromolecules.

Detailed laboratory protocols and the underlying theoretical background are brought together, providing researchers with the conceptual and methodological tools necessary to exploit these powerful techniques.