A multiwire area detector system will be acquired to serve as a rapid method for recording X-ray diffraction data from single crystals of proteins and nucleic acids. The system includes a multiwire area detector chamber, a full-circle goniometer, graphite monochromator, mounting modifications for a rotating- anode X-ray generator and a 400 megabyte disk drive for a VAX II Station for data acquisition and processing. The equipment will be used for crystallographic analysis of macromolecular structures as part of current biological research problems relevant to plant science, molecular biology, cell biology biotechnology. The projects include: (1) protein elongation factor complexes and related G proteins, (2) nucleic acid-binding proteins and protein-nucleic acid complexes, (3) mono- and polysaccharide processing proteins, (4) glycoproteins, (5) serum transport proteins and (6) agriculturally-related proteins. The area detector will allow fragile crystals to be examined as well as facilitate more rapid data collection, and permit a molecular level of understanding for significant biological questions.
