Phase sensitive X-ray diffraction imaging of defects in biological macromolecular crystals - art. no. 148101

Conventional x-ray diffraction topography is currently used to map defects in the bulk of protein crystals, but the lack of sufficient contrast is fre quently a limiting factor. We experimentally demonstrate that this barrier can be circumvented using a method that combines phase sensitive and diffra ction imaging principles. Details of defects revealed in tetragonal lysozym e and cubic ferritin crystals are presented and discussed. The approach ena bling the detection of the phase changes of diffracted x rays should prove to be useful in the study of defect structures in a broad range of biologic al macromolecular crystals.