[ccp4bb] co-crystallization

2011-08-25 Thread Yvonne TAN Yih Wan
Hi ,

I am co-crystallizing a protein with compound and would like to know how much 
of compound to add to protein solution to start with. I know that the protein 
binds compound in a 1 to 1 ratio but also noticed that the compound 
precipitates out of solution when DMSO is diluted off. Where should I start of? 
A 1 protein :2 compound ratio or more? And what is the best method to determine 
if the binding is homogeneous (that all protein has got a compound in it)?

Any suggestions would help. Thanks

TY


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Re: [ccp4bb] co-crystallization

2011-08-25 Thread Shilong Fan
for me, I prefer to sock these compounds into your crystal. it will much more 
easy than co-crystallizaiton. But each protein should be different.

Normally when I star to co-crystallization with small compound, I will set up 
the complex with 1:1.2 molar ratio as first trial to see what should happen.

As DMESO, you can't get rid of them. But you can find  as much lower 
concentraiton as you can.  


Re: [ccp4bb] number of cycles in refmac

2011-08-25 Thread Tim Gruene
-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-
Hash: SHA1

Hello Ian,

I dare say that the goal is to get phases which match as good as
possible with what is inside the crystal. If this coincides with
maximising the likelihood, why don't we run refinement until the LL
stabilises?

@Garib: I have seen runs where Refmac actually does stop prematurely,
i.e. before the number of cycles set in the input script. It seems that
it stops when LL does not drop between two cycles, but according to Ian
this would be the point to reach.

My question: does this indeed provide the best interpretable map (be it
cheating or not)?

Cheers, Tim

On 08/24/2011 05:36 PM, Ian Tickle wrote:
 Hi Tim
 
 The answer is a definite NO, the goal of refinement is to maximise the
 likelihood from the working set and the restraints.  It is definitely not to
 optimise Rfree or LLfree.  The correct value of the latter is whatever you
 get at convergence of refinement, i.e. at maximum of the likelihood,
 anything else is 'cheating'.
 
 Cheers
 
 -- Ian
 
 On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 4:24 PM, Tim Gruene t...@shelx.uni-ac.gwdg.de wrote:
 
 Dear all,
 
 especially at the beginning of model building and/or at low resolution
 both Rfree and -LL free as reported in the refmac logfile show a
 minimum at a some cycle before rising again.
 
 I am certainly not the only one tempted to first run refmac with a large
 number of refinement cycles, determine that minimum and rerun refmac
 with ncyc set to that minimum.
 
 Of course I want the resulting model and phases/map to be as close to
 the what's in the crystal as possible in order to facilitate model
 building.
 
 Is it therefore good practice to interrupt refmac wherever it finds a
 minimum (if so, the minimum w.r.t. which number reported in the log-file)?
 
 Thanks for everyone's opinion and experience,
 
 Tim
 


- -- 
- --
Dr Tim Gruene
Institut fuer anorganische Chemie
Tammannstr. 4
D-37077 Goettingen

GPG Key ID = A46BEE1A

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Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/

iD8DBQFOVgiBUxlJ7aRr7hoRAq+dAKDj2B6iUMD7C4uu8UMznTlKoclYzACdF8nP
Q6DmIFGPcfoP6xbJRwooWWI=
=7r5T
-END PGP SIGNATURE-


Re: [ccp4bb] Creating CIF Files and Renaming Ligands

2011-08-25 Thread Nicholas Keep
Did you rename the ligand in the CIF file as well?  It would be nice if the Prodrg interface allowed you to type in the 
name of the ligand you want in the CIF and PDB file.  Hopefully a global replace in your favourite text editor of DRG 
with LIG or whatever you want to call your ligand would work.  You would have to do that on the separate pdb and CIF 
files and then merge the two or more CIF files into one if you have more than one ligand.  I must admit to this being 
theory I have not tested it in practice.

Best wishes
Nick
--

Prof Nicholas H. Keep
Executive Dean of School of Science
Professor of Biomolecular Science
Crystallography, Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology,
Department of Biological Sciences
Birkbeck,  University of London,
Malet Street,
Bloomsbury
LONDON
WC1E 7HX

email n.k...@mail.cryst.bbk.ac.uk
Telephone 020-7631-6852  (Room G57 Office)
  020-7631-6800  (Department Office)
Fax   020-7631-6803
If you want to access me in person you have to come to the crystallography 
entrance
and ring me or the department office from the internal phone by the door


[ccp4bb] Melting point and heat of fusion

2011-08-25 Thread Kristof Van Hecke

Dear,

We're wondering what tools there are available in order to estimate  
the 'melting point' and 'heat of fusion' from a known crystal  
structure (e.g. coordinate file)..?

It concerns mostly small molecules ( 100 atoms).

Many thanks

Kristof
---
Kristof Van Hecke, PhD
Biomolecular Architecture
Celestijnenlaan 200F
3001 Heverlee (Leuven)
Belgium
---


Re: [ccp4bb] number of cycles in refmac

2011-08-25 Thread Garib N Murshudov
Hello Tim

It was in one or two versions and I did not get consistent results. However 
code is there and I can activate it if you want. If you know what criteria you 
would like to use I can code that also.

In some cases it happens that R/Rfree go up and then they start coming down. It 
may be case when starting model has not very nice geometry. 
We are minimising total function. And there  are several hidden parameters in 
the total function (weights between Xray and geometry etc), they may cause 
problems. 



Cheers
Garib

On 25 Aug 2011, at 10:32, Tim Gruene wrote:

 -BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-
 Hash: SHA1
 
 Hello Ian,
 
 I dare say that the goal is to get phases which match as good as
 possible with what is inside the crystal. If this coincides with
 maximising the likelihood, why don't we run refinement until the LL
 stabilises?
 
 @Garib: I have seen runs where Refmac actually does stop prematurely,
 i.e. before the number of cycles set in the input script. It seems that
 it stops when LL does not drop between two cycles, but according to Ian
 this would be the point to reach.
 
 My question: does this indeed provide the best interpretable map (be it
 cheating or not)?
 
 Cheers, Tim
 
 On 08/24/2011 05:36 PM, Ian Tickle wrote:
 Hi Tim
 
 The answer is a definite NO, the goal of refinement is to maximise the
 likelihood from the working set and the restraints.  It is definitely not to
 optimise Rfree or LLfree.  The correct value of the latter is whatever you
 get at convergence of refinement, i.e. at maximum of the likelihood,
 anything else is 'cheating'.
 
 Cheers
 
 -- Ian
 
 On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 4:24 PM, Tim Gruene t...@shelx.uni-ac.gwdg.de 
 wrote:
 
 Dear all,
 
 especially at the beginning of model building and/or at low resolution
 both Rfree and -LL free as reported in the refmac logfile show a
 minimum at a some cycle before rising again.
 
 I am certainly not the only one tempted to first run refmac with a large
 number of refinement cycles, determine that minimum and rerun refmac
 with ncyc set to that minimum.
 
 Of course I want the resulting model and phases/map to be as close to
 the what's in the crystal as possible in order to facilitate model
 building.
 
 Is it therefore good practice to interrupt refmac wherever it finds a
 minimum (if so, the minimum w.r.t. which number reported in the log-file)?
 
 Thanks for everyone's opinion and experience,
 
 Tim
 
 
 
 - -- 
 - --
 Dr Tim Gruene
 Institut fuer anorganische Chemie
 Tammannstr. 4
 D-37077 Goettingen
 
 GPG Key ID = A46BEE1A
 
 -BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-
 Version: GnuPG v1.4.11 (GNU/Linux)
 Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/
 
 iD8DBQFOVgiBUxlJ7aRr7hoRAq+dAKDj2B6iUMD7C4uu8UMznTlKoclYzACdF8nP
 Q6DmIFGPcfoP6xbJRwooWWI=
 =7r5T
 -END PGP SIGNATURE-

Garib N Murshudov 
Structural Studies Division
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Hills Road 
Cambridge 
CB2 0QH UK
Email: ga...@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk 
Web http://www.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk





Re: [ccp4bb] Creating CIF Files and Renaming Ligands

2011-08-25 Thread Ai Fen Chai
Hi all,

Thanks for the suggestions! Anyway, the problems have been fixed! When I
edited the CIF files in a mac editor, the file formatting got changed, so a
line feed became a carriage return and Coot does not like this as to it they
appear to be different files.
The CIF files were fixed by using gedit on the old files on linux machine
and
global replace with match case/whole word only option on. They now are
recognized by COOT.

Ai Fen

On Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 8:45 PM, Nicholas Keep
n.k...@mail.cryst.bbk.ac.ukwrote:

 Did you rename the ligand in the CIF file as well?  It would be nice if the
 Prodrg interface allowed you to type in the name of the ligand you want in
 the CIF and PDB file.  Hopefully a global replace in your favourite text
 editor of DRG with LIG or whatever you want to call your ligand would work.
  You would have to do that on the separate pdb and CIF files and then merge
 the two or more CIF files into one if you have more than one ligand.  I must
 admit to this being theory I have not tested it in practice.
 Best wishes
 Nick
 --

 Prof Nicholas H. Keep
 Executive Dean of School of Science
 Professor of Biomolecular Science
 Crystallography, Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology,
 Department of Biological Sciences
 Birkbeck,  University of London,
 Malet Street,
 Bloomsbury
 LONDON
 WC1E 7HX

 email n.k...@mail.cryst.bbk.ac.uk
 Telephone 020-7631-6852  (Room G57 Office)
  020-7631-6800  (Department Office)
 Fax   020-7631-6803
 If you want to access me in person you have to come to the crystallography
 entrance
 and ring me or the department office from the internal phone by the door



Re: [ccp4bb] number of cycles in refmac

2011-08-25 Thread Ian Tickle
TIm,

I dare say that the goal is to get phases which match as good as
 possible with what is inside the crystal. If this coincides with
 maximising the likelihood, why don't we run refinement until the LL
 stabilises?


That's exactly what you should do: any optimisation procedure attains the
correct solution only when changes in the parameters become 'insignificant'
i.e. the optimisation is deemed to have converged.  This corresponds to the
extremum in the target function being attained so that the gradients w.r.t.
the refined parameters become zero (within some margin of numerical
precision),

A very simple 1-parameter analogy is Hero's method to obtain the square root
of a number (named after the 1st century Greek mathematician Hero of
Alexandria though attributed to the Babylonians:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylonian_method).  This uses 'fixed-point
iteration' to optimise the initial estimate X of sqrt(A) (X can be any
positive number, the method has infinite radius of convergence): just
replace X by the new estimate (X+A/X)/2 and iterate to convergence.  So
let's say I want sqrt(2): I make an initial guess of 1, so (1+2/1)/2 = 1.5,
then (1.5+2/1.5)/2 = 1.4167 and keep iterating until the result doesn't
change: only then will you have the correct answer.

Since the target function in MX refinement is the total likelihood (working
set + restraints), there's no reason whatsoever why any another function,
such as Rfree  LLfree, should have an extremum at the same point in
parameter space as the target function.  Rfree is particular is problematic
because it is unweighted, so poorly measured reflections in the test set are
going to have a disproportionate influence on the result (e.g. see *Acta
Cryst.* (1970). A*26*, 162).

Cheers

-- Ian


Re: [ccp4bb] number of cycles in refmac

2011-08-25 Thread Frank von Delft
Hmm, I used to think I understood this, but I'm feeling a bit dim right 
now.


On 25/08/2011 11:07, Ian Tickle wrote:
Since the target function in MX refinement is the total likelihood 
(working set + restraints), there's no reason whatsoever why any 
another function, such as Rfree  LLfree, should have an extremum at 
the same point in parameter space as the target function. 
This is self-evident;  what is not obvious is why the target function 
should be having the final word.  Wasn't the word over-refinement 
introduced to describe exactly this:  that the target function was 
wrong?  Isn't this the purpose of cross-validation, to use an 
independent measure to judge when the refinement is /not/ producing the 
best model?



Rfree is particular is problematic because it is unweighted, so poorly 
measured reflections in the test set are going to have a 
disproportionate influence on the result (e.g. see /Acta Cryst./ 
(1970). A*26*, 162).
This may be true;  but as it is independent of refinement, is it not 
nevertheless the only measure I should trust?



Or maybe what you intended to say:  only trust refinements for which 
Rfree decreases monotonically, because only then do you have a valid 
choice of parameters.


phx.


Re: [ccp4bb] number of cycles in refmac

2011-08-25 Thread Ian Tickle
Hi Frank

 This is self-evident;  what is not obvious is why the target function
should be having the final word.  Wasn't the word over-refinement
introduced to describe exactly this:  that the target function was wrong?

I assumed people were confusing 'over-refinement' with 'over-fitting'; there
is no such thing as over-refinement (you won't find 'over-optimisation'
mentioned in any textbooks on optimisation!), since by definition refining
beyond convergence is a waste of time: it cannot result in any further
significant changes in the parameters.  Refinement is simply a method of
solving a set of equations  clearly we want to solve those equations as
accurately as possible.  If we could obtain an exact solution without
iteration we would use that; the mechanics of refinement and the path that
the program by dint of numerical quirks happens to take to reach the
solution are irrelevant as far as the user is concerned.  Stopping the
refinement before convergence will not produce more accurate parameters, it
will just introduce random and unquantifiable errors.

 Isn't this the purpose of cross-validation, to use an independent measure
to judge when the refinement is *not* producing the best model?

If the value of your chosen X-validation metric at convergence indicates a
problem with the model, parameterisation, weighting etc then clearly the
target function is not indeed the final word: the solution is to fix
whatever is wrong and do the refinement again, until you get a satisfactory
value for your metric.


 This may be true;  but as it is independent of refinement, is it not
 nevertheless the only measure I should trust?

 No there several possible functions of the test set (e.g. Hamilton Rfree,
LLfree) that you could use, all potentially equally valid X-validation
metrics.  I would have more faith in a function such as LLfree in which the
contributions of the reflections are at least weighted according to their
reliability.  It just seems bizarre that important decisions are being based
on measurements that may have gross errors without taking those errors into
account.


 Or maybe what you intended to say:  only trust refinements for which Rfree
 decreases monotonically, because only then do you have a valid choice of
 parameters.


No, as I indicated above, what Rfree does before convergence is attained is
totally meaningless, only the value obtained _at_ convergence is meaningful
as a X-validation statistic.  We wouldn't be having this discussion if the
refinement program omitted the meaningless intermediate values and only
printed out the final Rfree or LLfree.  I'm saying that Rfree is not the
best X-validation metric because poorly measured data are not properly
weighted: this is what Acta paper I referenced is saying.

Cheers

-- Ian


[ccp4bb] loop building with ARP/wARP

2011-08-25 Thread Gregory Bowman
Hi all,

I have a large disordered loop (33aa) for a 2.0 Å dataset for which the rest of 
the structure is well-defined, and phases are decent (Rwork=19.6, Rfree=24.6). 
I can see some broken up density at one end, but have been unable to 
convincingly build into into this region manually. I would like to try arp/warp 
to improve density or possibly extend the loop termini but have been thwarted 
by some technical problems and would appreciate any advice. I've installed ccp4 
6.2.0 on Mac OS X (10.6.8) with fink, both as 32-bit and 64-bit to allow me to 
run ARP/wARP (version 7.1) from the ccp4i GUI. I've been unable to get loopy 
to work, and also the standard ARP/wARP classic.

When I run ARP/wARP Loops  (a.k.a. loopy), I get the message in the log file: 
 Couldn't find any loop to build, loopy will simple copy the pdb file. The 
program is able to read the sequence .pir file and match it to the structure, 
and seems from the sequence alignment to identify the regions of the sequence 
for which there is no structure. I'm guessing that I'm not putting some obvious 
parameter into the GUI/starting script, but I don't know what that might be. 
The script generated from the GUI (21_loopy.def) is pasted below.

When I try to run ARP/wARP classic for loop building, I get the following 
message in the logfile:

QUITTING ... ARP/wARP module stopped with an error message:
REFMAC
*** Look for error message in the file:
/Users/gbowman/Greg/20_warpNtrace_refine.last.log

At the end of the warpNtrace_refine.last.log file, the program reports what 
seem to be close contacts. Since I don't see this in the structure, and don't 
have any problems or errors like this when I refine the structure with REMAC, 
is this from rebuilding, and is this the problem that halts REFMAC?

Thanks!
Greg

= = = = = =
20_warpNtrace_refine.last.log
= = = = = =
snip
 Input file :restraints.pdb
  NUMBER OF MONOMERS IN THE LIBRARY  : 11465
with complete description: 11465
  NUMBER OF MODIFICATIONS:53
  NUMBER OF LINKS:66
  I am reading libraries. Please wait.
  - energy parameters
  - monomers description (links  mod )
BFONT COLOR=#FF!--SUMMARY_BEGIN--
!--SUMMARY_END--/FONT/B
  Number of atoms:2463
  Number of residues : 859
  Number of chains   :   3
  I am reading library. Please wait.
mon_lib.cif
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.907 ideal_dist=   1.432
ch:AA   res:   8  GLY  at:CA  .-ch:AA   res:  50  TYR  
at:OH  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   2.126 ideal_dist=   1.645
ch:AA   res:  13  ARG  at:NH1 .-ch:AA   res:  54  MET  
at:SD  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.820 ideal_dist=   1.462
ch:AA   res:  13  ARG  at:NH1 .-ch:AA   res:  54  MET  
at:CE  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.757 ideal_dist=   1.395
ch:AA   res:  13  ARG  at:NE  .-ch:AA   res: 119  PHE  
at:CD1 .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.572 ideal_dist=   1.462
ch:AA   res:  13  ARG  at:NH2 .-ch:AA   res: 125  LEU  
at:CD2 .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.751 ideal_dist=   1.513
ch:AA   res:  33  ILE  at:CG2 .-ch:AA   res:  39  PRO  
at:CG  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.451 ideal_dist=   1.513
ch:AA   res:  33  ILE  at:CG2 .-ch:AA   res:  39  PRO  
at:CD  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.759 ideal_dist=   1.524
ch:AA   res:  58  LYS  at:CD  .-ch:AA   res: 130  LEU  
at:CB  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.725 ideal_dist=   1.513
ch:AA   res:  58  LYS  at:CD  .-ch:AA   res: 130  LEU  
at:CD1 .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.578 ideal_dist=   1.524
ch:AA   res:  83  ARG  at:CD  .-ch:AA   res: 101  PRO  
at:CG  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.843 ideal_dist=   1.457
ch:AA   res:  83  ARG  at:NE  .-ch:AA   res: 101  PRO  
at:CB  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   0.666 ideal_dist=   1.457
ch:AA   res:  83  ARG  at:NE  .-ch:AA   res: 101  PRO  
at:CG  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.275 ideal_dist=   1.510
ch:AA   res:  83  ARG  at:CZ  .-ch:AA   res: 101  PRO  
at:CB  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.102 ideal_dist=   1.510
ch:AA   res:  83  ARG  at:CZ  .-ch:AA   res: 101  PRO  
at:CG  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.191 ideal_dist=   1.457
ch:AA   res:  83  ARG  at:NH1 .-ch:AA   res: 101  PRO  
at:CA  .
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   0.690 ideal_dist=   1.457

Re: [ccp4bb] co-crystallization

2011-08-25 Thread Annie Hassell
Hi YT-

We normally prepare our ligand stocks in DMSO and add this to the protein in 
3-fold  molar excess.  The majority of our ligands are quite insoluble and 
precipitate when the DMSO concentration decreases upon addition to the 
protein... so I am not surprised that you are seeing this.  If your 
compound does not bind your protein tightly, you might consider using a 5-fold 
molar excess of ligand.

Some proteins crash out if the protein concentration in high when you add the 
ligand.  For those situations, we complex the ligand with dilute protein (1-2 
mg/ml), and then concentrate this for crystallization trials.  I have had 
proteins where we had to complex the dilute protein with ligand, and then let 
it sit overnight at 4C before we concentrated the protein.  We normally 
incubate the protein+ligand at 4C for 1-3 hours for binding before we set up 
the crystallization experiments.

Another scenario might be addition of ligand to the protein followed by 
incubation at room temp for ~1hr.  Then centrifuge at 4C, keep protein at 4C 
and set up your trays.

Hope this helps!
annie







From: CCP4 bulletin board [mailto:CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Behalf Of Yvonne 
TAN Yih Wan
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 2:03 AM
To: CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: [ccp4bb] co-crystallization

Hi ,

I am co-crystallizing a protein with compound and would like to know how much 
of compound to add to protein solution to start with. I know that the protein 
binds compound in a 1 to 1 ratio but also noticed that the compound 
precipitates out of solution when DMSO is diluted off. Where should I start of? 
A 1 protein :2 compound ratio or more? And what is the best method to determine 
if the binding is homogeneous (that all protein has got a compound in it)?

Any suggestions would help. Thanks

TY


Re: [ccp4bb] co-crystallization

2011-08-25 Thread Prince, D Bryan
Dear TY,



Typically between 5-10x molar concentration over the protein is enough to 
ensure binding when the IC50 is uM to low mM. For tighter binding compounds (nM 
to low uM), 2-5x is sufficient. Whatever you do, when the precipitate occurs DO 
NOT REMOVE it. I learned to my chagrin that you change all the dynamics of the 
drop when you do. I ended up with empty crystals until I left the precipitate 
in place. Think of it this way-



Free protein + compound ↔ protein:compound complex + precipitate (mix of 
protein + compound)



If you change the equilibrium by removing the precipitate, you remove the 
“pressure” on the P:C complex, and it will dissociate to P + C. The precipitate 
acts as a reserve of protein and compound, thus favoring (or stabilizing) the 
P:C complex. I set drops up as a slurry frequently, and if I get crystals, they 
always have the compound bound. Pay attention to the drops if you are 
screening, because it will be important to note what makes the precipitated 
solution better (clear drops=solubilizing) or worse (aggregated drops=decreased 
solubility of your complex). You can also try suspending your compound in LMW 
PEG’s (200-400 FW) instead of DMSO. Either way, try using DMSO (~20%) or LMW 
PEG (~30%) depending on your crystallization conditions as a cryoprotectant. 
Any crystals that grow have some small amount of those agents in them already, 
so they should be more tolerant of them in higher concentrations.



Best of luck!



Bryan



From: CCP4 bulletin board [mailto:CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Behalf Of Yvonne 
TAN Yih Wan
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 2:03 AM
To: CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: [ccp4bb] co-crystallization



Hi ,



I am co-crystallizing a protein with compound and would like to know how much 
of compound to add to protein solution to start with. I know that the protein 
binds compound in a 1 to 1 ratio but also noticed that the compound 
precipitates out of solution when DMSO is diluted off. Where should I start of? 
A 1 protein :2 compound ratio or more? And what is the best method to determine 
if the binding is homogeneous (that all protein has got a compound in it)?



Any suggestions would help. Thanks



TY


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Re: [ccp4bb] merge chains in coot

2011-08-25 Thread Herman . Schreuder
Calculate - Merge Molecules

Herman 

-Original Message-
From: CCP4 bulletin board [mailto:CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Behalf Of
jab
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 4:09 PM
To: CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: [ccp4bb] merge chains in coot

Hi

I've tried to find where to merge chains in coot, eg merge built
co-factor to protein chain, or merge all my ions (Na, Cl, Mg etc)
together.

Any pointers?

Thanks

Jim Brannigan


Re: [ccp4bb] Aging PEGs

2011-08-25 Thread R. M. Garavito
Time to start digging in the archives.  Try looking at work by Fran  
Jurnak in 1986 (J. Cryst. Growth 76, 577) and Bill Ray's work in 1985  
(Analytical Biochem 146, 307), and then the works that cite them.  I  
thought this was common knowledge, but I guess it goes in phases.


Aging of poly(oligo)-oxyethylene-based compounds is well known in the  
surfactant field as it changes the chemical properties of common  
detergents (Brij, Triton, C10E6, etc.), not only by adding aldehydes  
and carboxylates to the system, but also by increasing metal binding.   
It is a sobering sight to see old PEG cross-link your 3-month old  
crystal:  the damn thing wouldn't dissolve after 2 hours in plain  
buffer, but when I poked it with a glass fiber, the protein oozed out  
like the center of a cherry cordial, leaving a sad looking deflated  
shell of a crystal.


Cheers,

Michael


R. Michael Garavito, Ph.D.
Professor of Biochemistry  Molecular Biology
513 Biochemistry Bldg.
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1319
Office:  (517) 355-9724 Lab:  (517) 353-9125
FAX:  (517) 353-9334Email:  rmgarav...@gmail.com




On Aug 24, 2011, at 5:21 PM, Frank von Delft wrote:

And now,   does anybody know of systematic data indicating how  
consistently all this matters?

phx

On 24/08/2011 21:45, Prince, D Bryan wrote:


For those of us truly controlling types :), I used to make the PEG
solutions and filter them over a Bio-Rad resin that filtered out  
all the

junk added to stabilize the PEG solution. Then, of course I had to
freeze all my PEG solutions in aliquots, or wrap them in foil and  
store
at 4C in the dark. This would take several days, depending on the  
FW of

the PEG. If you are really sensitive about what is in your PEG
solutions, try GC-grade PEG's. The FW profile is much more restricted
around the reported value (i.e. PEG 3350 molecular biology grade  
has a

broad peak centered on Mr=3350. PEG 3350 GC-grade has a much tighter
peak profile.) Back before you could buy Crystal Screen I, II or  
HT, you
had to make the stock solutions, then make the screen. But at least  
when

you did that, you had all the stocks. Now, I just buy pre-made
solutions, and keep them in a drawer with a date opened written on  
the

bottle. Isn't progress grand? :)

Bryan


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-Original Message-
From: CCP4 bulletin board [mailto:CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Behalf Of
Jacob Keller
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 3:18 PM
To: CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: [ccp4bb] Aging PEGs

A while ago I measured the pH's of old and new PEGs and found them
very different, and internally attributed all old vs new PEG issues
to pH. Upon reflection, this seems too simplistic. Are there other
known mechanisms of crystallization capacities of PEGs of various
ages?

Jacob Keller

***
Jacob Pearson Keller
Northwestern University
Medical Scientist Training Program
cel: 773.608.9185
email: j-kell...@northwestern.edu
***




Re: [ccp4bb] loop building with ARP/wARP

2011-08-25 Thread Victor Lamzin

Dear Greg,

Try ARP/wARP 7.2, released a few days ago, which is better, more  
stable and should have improved flash of error messages to the log  
files.


ARP/wARP Loopy will not build a 33-residue loop at once, but Classic  
model building may get the gap shortened.


Go to www.arp-warp.org for download. In parallel, from the same page  
you can submit Classic protein model building for remote execution in  
Hamburg, which also has ARP/wARP 7.2 installed.


Please get back if problems remain.

With best regards,
Victor


Quoting Gregory Bowman gdbow...@jhu.edu:


Hi all,

I have a large disordered loop (33aa) for a 2.0 Å dataset for which  
the rest of the structure is well-defined, and phases are decent  
(Rwork=19.6, Rfree=24.6). I can see some broken up density at one  
end, but have been unable to convincingly build into into this  
region manually. I would like to try arp/warp to improve density or  
possibly extend the loop termini but have been thwarted by some  
technical problems and would appreciate any advice. I've installed  
ccp4 6.2.0 on Mac OS X (10.6.8) with fink, both as 32-bit and 64-bit  
to allow me to run ARP/wARP (version 7.1) from the ccp4i GUI. I've  
been unable to get loopy to work, and also the standard ARP/wARP  
classic.


When I run ARP/wARP Loops  (a.k.a. loopy), I get the message in  
the log file:  Couldn't find any loop to build, loopy will simple  
copy the pdb file. The program is able to read the sequence .pir  
file and match it to the structure, and seems from the sequence  
alignment to identify the regions of the sequence for which there is  
no structure. I'm guessing that I'm not putting some obvious  
parameter into the GUI/starting script, but I don't know what that  
might be. The script generated from the GUI (21_loopy.def) is pasted  
below.


When I try to run ARP/wARP classic for loop building, I get the  
following message in the logfile:


QUITTING ... ARP/wARP module stopped with an error message:
REFMAC
*** Look for error message in the file:
/Users/gbowman/Greg/20_warpNtrace_refine.last.log

At the end of the warpNtrace_refine.last.log file, the program  
reports what seem to be close contacts. Since I don't see this in  
the structure, and don't have any problems or errors like this when  
I refine the structure with REMAC, is this from rebuilding, and is  
this the problem that halts REFMAC?


Thanks!
Greg

= = = = = =
20_warpNtrace_refine.last.log
= = = = = =
snip
 Input file :restraints.pdb
  NUMBER OF MONOMERS IN THE LIBRARY  : 11465
with complete description: 11465
  NUMBER OF MODIFICATIONS:53
  NUMBER OF LINKS:66
  I am reading libraries. Please wait.
  - energy parameters
  - monomers description (links  mod )
BFONT COLOR=#FF!--SUMMARY_BEGIN--
!--SUMMARY_END--/FONT/B
  Number of atoms:2463
  Number of residues : 859
  Number of chains   :   3
  I am reading library. Please wait.
mon_lib.cif
  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.907 ideal_dist=   1.432
ch:AA   res:   8  GLY  at:CA  .-ch:AA   res:  50   
TYR  at:OH  .

  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   2.126 ideal_dist=   1.645
ch:AA   res:  13  ARG  at:NH1 .-ch:AA   res:  54   
MET  at:SD  .

  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.820 ideal_dist=   1.462
ch:AA   res:  13  ARG  at:NH1 .-ch:AA   res:  54   
MET  at:CE  .

  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.757 ideal_dist=   1.395
ch:AA   res:  13  ARG  at:NE  .-ch:AA   res: 119   
PHE  at:CD1 .

  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.572 ideal_dist=   1.462
ch:AA   res:  13  ARG  at:NH2 .-ch:AA   res: 125   
LEU  at:CD2 .

  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.751 ideal_dist=   1.513
ch:AA   res:  33  ILE  at:CG2 .-ch:AA   res:  39   
PRO  at:CG  .

  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.451 ideal_dist=   1.513
ch:AA   res:  33  ILE  at:CG2 .-ch:AA   res:  39   
PRO  at:CD  .

  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.759 ideal_dist=   1.524
ch:AA   res:  58  LYS  at:CD  .-ch:AA   res: 130   
LEU  at:CB  .

  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.725 ideal_dist=   1.513
ch:AA   res:  58  LYS  at:CD  .-ch:AA   res: 130   
LEU  at:CD1 .

  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.578 ideal_dist=   1.524
ch:AA   res:  83  ARG  at:CD  .-ch:AA   res: 101   
PRO  at:CG  .

  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   1.843 ideal_dist=   1.457
ch:AA   res:  83  ARG  at:NE  .-ch:AA   res: 101   
PRO  at:CB  .

  INFO: link is found (not be used) dist=   0.666 ideal_dist=   1.457
ch:AA   

[ccp4bb] 2nd MX User Workshop at Diamond - September 7th-8th, 2011

2011-08-25 Thread Thomas Sorensen
Dear All

I quick reminder - last chance to sign up for the 2nd MX User Workshop at 
Diamond - the workshop is part of the Synchrotron User Meeting, September 
7th-8th, 2011. Workshop sessions include presentations from staff and users on 
latest developments, spectroscopy, crystal dehydration and room temperature 
data collection, using microfocus beam and how to get the most from your 
beamtime.

Workshop info: 
http://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home/Events/Synchrotron_User_Meeting_2011/MX.html
Registration: 
http://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home/Events/Synchrotron_User_Meeting_2011/Registration-system.html

Best wishes

Thomas Sorensen
Principal Beamline Scientist
Macromolecular Crystallography
Diamond Light Source


[ccp4bb] Fwd: Re: [ccp4bb] co-crystallization

2011-08-25 Thread Roger Rowlett

  
  
Successful complexation depends on the
  concentration of protein, ligand, and the Kd of the protein-ligand
  complex. For Kd[protein], you will probably require
[ligand]  10 x Kd. As Kd approaches [protein], slightly
superstoichiometric quantities will be sufficient for full
occupancy. For Kd  [protein], stoichiometric quantities of
ligand will suffice. Basically you need a [ligand] that puts near
saturation on the binding isotherm.

Cheers.

On 8/25/2011 2:03 AM, Yvonne TAN Yih Wan wrote:

  
  
  
  

  Hi

  ,
  
  I
  am co-crystallizing a protein with compound and would like
  to know how much of compound to add to protein solution to
  start with. I know that the protein binds compound in a 1
  to 1 ratio but also noticed that the compound precipitates
  out of solution when DMSO is diluted off. Where should I
  start of? A 1 protein :2 compound ratio or more? And what
  is the best method to determine if the binding is
  homogeneous (that all protein has got a compound in it)?
  
  Any

  suggestions would help. Thanks
  
  TY

  
  -- 

   Roger S. Rowlett
  Gordon  Dorothy Kline Professor
  Department of Chemistry
  Colgate University
  13 Oak Drive
  Hamilton, NY 13346
  
  tel: (315)-228-7245
  ofc: (315)-228-7395
  fax: (315)-228-7935
  email: rrowl...@colgate.edu
 

  



[ccp4bb] Web Seminar: An Insider's Guide to CrystalClear and d*TREK: Improve Your Results with these New Features and Tips

2011-08-25 Thread Angela Criswell
Dear colleagues,

I would like to draw your attention to an upcoming free, educational webinar to 
be presented by Jim Pflugrath, Ph. D. titled An Insider's Guide to 
CrystalClear and d*TREK: Improve Your Results with these New Features and 
Tips. In this webinar, Jim will discuss three important new features or tips 
for using CrystalClear and d*TREK which will lead to better results: lower 
Rmeas and higher I/sigmaI.  New input parameters for finding spots is one new 
feature. Another feature is a better way perform positional refinement before 
and during Bragg reflection integration.  A third tip is how to improve your 
scaling results by changing the input parameters to dtscaleaverage.  These tips 
and others will give you better results with CrystalClear.

This webinar is scheduled to occur on Thursday, September 1st 10:00 AM CDT 
(8:00 AM PDT / 4:00 PM GMT). You can find more information, including a 
registration link at: http://www.rigaku.com/protein/webinars.html.

Best regards,
Angela Criswell

-- 
Angela R. Criswell, Ph. D.
VP, Life Sciences
Rigaku Americas Corporation
9009 New Trails Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77381 USA
Ph: +1 281 362 2300  ext. 216
Fax: +1 281 364 3628
Email: angela.crisw...@rigaku.com
URL: http://www.rigaku.com


Re: [ccp4bb] number of cycles in refmac

2011-08-25 Thread Frank von Delft

Hi Ian

(Yes, your technical point about semantics is correct, I meant 
over-fitting.)


To pin down your points, though, you're saying:
1) Don't use Rfree, instead look at LLfree or Hamilton Rfree.
2) Compare only the final values at convergence when choosing 
between different parametrizations (=models)


Point #1 - fair point;  the reason Rfree is popular, though, is because 
it is a /relative/ metric, i.e. by now we have a sense of what good 
is.  So I predict an uphill fight for LLfree.


Point #2 would hold if we routinely let our refinements run to 
convergence;  seems common though to run 10 cycles or 50 cycles 
instead and draw conclusions from the behaviour of the metrics.  Are the 
conclusions really much different from the comparison-at-convergence you 
advocate?  Which is in practice often less convenient.


Cheers
phx






 Isn't this the purpose of cross-validation, to use an independent 
measure to judge when the refinement is /not/ producing the best model?


If the value of your chosen X-validation metric at convergence 
indicates a problem with the model, parameterisation, weighting etc 
then clearly the target function is not indeed the final word: the 
solution is to fix whatever is wrong and do the refinement again, 
until you get a satisfactory value for your metric.



This may be true;  but as it is independent of refinement, is it
not nevertheless the only measure I should trust?

No there several possible functions of the test set (e.g. Hamilton 
Rfree, LLfree) that you could use, all potentially equally valid 
X-validation metrics.  I would have more faith in a function such as 
LLfree in which the contributions of the reflections are at least 
weighted according to their reliability.  It just seems bizarre that 
important decisions are being based on measurements that may have 
gross errors without taking those errors into account.


Or maybe what you intended to say:  only trust refinements for
which Rfree decreases monotonically, because only then do you have
a valid choice of parameters.


No, as I indicated above, what Rfree does before convergence is 
attained is totally meaningless, only the value obtained _at_ 
convergence is meaningful as a X-validation statistic.  We wouldn't be 
having this discussion if the refinement program omitted the 
meaningless intermediate values and only printed out the final Rfree 
or LLfree.  I'm saying that Rfree is not the best X-validation metric 
because poorly measured data are not properly weighted: this is what 
Acta paper I referenced is saying.


Cheers

-- Ian


Re: [ccp4bb] number of cycles in refmac

2011-08-25 Thread Pavel Afonine
 Point #2 would hold if we routinely let our refinements run to
 convergence;  seems common though to run 10 cycles or 50 cycles instead
 and draw conclusions from the behaviour of the metrics.  Are the conclusions
 really much different from the comparison-at-convergence you advocate?
 Which is in practice often less convenient.


May be run refinement many times with slightly different starting points and
consider looking at an ensemble? Convergence seems to have a vague meaning
when it comes to macromolecular crystallographic structure refinement (p.
75-76 here:
http://www.phenix-online.org/presentations/latest/pavel_refinement_general.pdf
)

Pavel