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Hi...

MicroPIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) will sort you out...

Check out these papers from Elspeth Garman:

Structure. 1999 Dec 15;7(12):R291-9
Prog Biophys Mol Biol. 2005 Oct;89(2):173-205.
(Just PUBMED for MicroPIXE)

This should give you a definitive answer...

HTH

Dave


On 10/5/06 12:30 am, "Wendy Gordon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> thought:

> ***  For details on how to be removed from this list visit the  ***
> ***          CCP4 home page http://www.ccp4.ac.uk         ***
> 
> 
> Hello-
> Thanks for entertaining my non-ccp4 question...
> 
> I am refining a crystal structure at ~2 Angstroms resolution in which I
> find a large, unexpected electron density that is potentially a Zinc
> ion because it is coordinated by 2 Histidines, 1 Glutamic acid, and
> possibly a water molecule.
> 
> This site appears as a strong peak in anomalous difference Patterson
> maps (the data was collected at SelMet wavelength 0.979 Angstroms and I
> believe that Zn's absorption edge occurs around 1.2 Angstroms).  The
> problem is, I didn't add any zinc in any purification or
> crystallization conditions.  I DID affinity purify the protein with
> nickel beads, so potentially it could be a Nickel ion. I should also
> say that during refinement in refmac where my Zn occupancy is held at
> 1, that I obtain a negative peak in the 2Fo-Fc in this position, but if
> I leave the site unoccupied- I get a huge positive peak- so I either
> have the wrong species defined or my occupancy is not 100%- right?
> 
> Is there any way short of biochemical means (ITC, mutation, etc.) to
> figure out what species is occupying this electron density?  I have
> thought of atomic absorption- has anyone tried it to determine the
> metal species in a protein?  Does it seem possible that I could have a
> Zn ion in my protein crystal where the Zn could only come from our
> standard DI water supply?
> 
> Thanks so much!
> Wendy Ryan Gordon

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