The role of crystals in human life

The role of crystals in human life was a competition launched during the International Year of Crystallography for secondary-school and university students in Poland. It was organised to increase public awareness of:

• the presence of crystals in everyday life
• the way in which crystallography underlies most technological developments in our modern society.

Participants in the competition were asked to prepare a poster, a presentation or a video clip on the role of crystals in human life.

This entry was awarded the first prize in the Secondary School category and was contributed by Małgorzata Pastuszka, Joanna Wiśnios, Paulina Tomkowska, Karolina Tomkowska, Sylwia Stachowicz and Aleksandra Barszcz of the Junior High School in Mircu.

Category: People & Blogs. Duration: 5m 39s
Licence: Standard YouTube Licence

Understanding crystallography: Part One

From protein to crystal

How can you determine the structure of a complex molecule from a single crystal?

Professor Elspeth Garman take us on a journey into the world of crystallography - from protein production and purification to growing the right type of crystals.

In her laboratory at the University of Oxford Elspeth introduces us to some of the tricks of the trade, key techniques and the machines that help her team grow crystals ready for X-ray analysis at specialist facilities like Diamond Light Source.

This film was supported by the Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC).

Published: 2014
Filmed: 2013. Duration: 7m 45s
Credits: Ed Prosser / Royal Institution

 License: Creative Commons

The Mystery of the Giant Crystals

The Cave of the Crystals (Cueva de los Cristales) in the Naica Mine, Chihuahua, Mexico, houses some of the largest natural crystals ever found. They are selenite, a form of the mineral gypsum (CaSO₄.2H₂O). Juan Manuel Garcíia Ruiz and his colleagues investigate the conditions under which these huge crystals have grown over the course of thousands of years. The temperatures in the subterranean caverns are over 50°C, and the caves are filled with water containing a variety of minerals leached from the surrounding rocks.

Duration: 50m 53s

© 2014 Trianatech.com - All rights reserved

El Misterio de los Cristales Gigantes

La Cueva de los Cristales en la mina de Naica, Chihuahua, México, alberga algunos de los más grandes cristales naturales que se han encontrado. Son selenito, una forma del yeso mineral (CaSO₄.2H₂O). Juan Manuel García Ruiz y sus colegas investigan las condiciones en que estos enormes cristales han crecido a lo largo de miles de años. Las temperaturas en las cavernas subterráneas son más de 50° C, y las cuevas están llenas de agua que contiene una variedad de minerales lixiviados de las rocas circundantes.

Duration: 50m 54s

© 2014 Trianatech.com - All rights reserved

Il Mistero dei Cristalli Giganti

La Grotta dei Cristalli (Cueva de los Cristales) nella miniera di Naica, Chihuahua, Messico, ospita alcuni dei più grandi cristalli naturali mai trovati. Si tratta di cristalli di selenite, una particolare forma di gesso (CaSO₄.2H₂O). Juan Manuel García Ruiz e i suoi colleghi indagano sulle condizioni in cui questi enormi cristalli sono cresciuti nel corso di migliaia di anni. La temperatura nelle caverne sotterranee è oltre 50° C, e le grotte sono riempite con acqua contenente una varietà di minerali lisciviati dalle rocce circostanti.

Duration: 50m 58s

© 2014 Trianatech.com - All rights reserved

Le Mystère des Cristaux Géants

La Grotte des Cristaux (Cueva de los Cristales) dans la mine de Naica, Chihuahua, Mexique, abrite quelques-uns des plus grands cristaux naturels jamais trouvés. Ils sont sélénite, une forme de gypse minéral (CaSO₄.2H₂O). Juan Manuel García Ruiz et ses collègues enquêtent sur les conditions dans lesquelles ces énormes cristaux ont grandi au cours de milliers d'années. Les températures dans les cavernes souterraines sont plus de 50° C, et les grottes sont remplis avec de l'eau contenant une variété de minéraux lessivés des roches environnantes.

Duration: 50m 58s

© 2014 Trianatech.com - All rights reserved

Celebrating the International Year of Crystallography with methylation of Nod Factor

Each year, ~150 million tonnes of atmospheric nitrogen are converted to plant nutrients (eliminating the load of artificial fertilizers) by soil bacteria, called rhizobia, that live in symbiosis with legume plants, such as lupine. The association is highly specific and before it starts, the symbionts must recognize each other via exchange of precise chemical signals. The plant's root produces characteristic flavonoids, while the bacterial 'business card', called nodulation factor (NF), is an oligosaccharide molecule with a unique pattern of strange chemical decorations. The nodulation factor is named very adequately: once recognized, it will induce formation of root nodules, to be colonized by the bacterial partner. Rhizobia have unique biosynthetic pathways to produce NF, involving about a dozen of specialized proteins. One of them is NodS, an enzyme that decorates the Nod factor with a methyl group (CH3), transferred from a donor molecule called SAM. Dr. Ozgur Cakici, working at the Center for Biocrystallographic Research in Poznan (Poland), discovered the crystal structure of NodS and was able to elucidate its enzymatic mechanism, so elegantly shown in the movie. The enzyme starts with an open conformation, which allows docking of the SAM molecule. Upon SAM binding, the protein conformation changes dramatically, burying the donor molecule and forming a docking platform for the NF acceptor. When the NF molecule completes the tripartite complex, the methyl group gets transferred, and the products can depart the enzyme. The last component to leave is SAH, a molecule generated from SAM by methyl group removal. The open NodS molecule is ready to start a new catalytic cycle.

To solve the structure of NodS and of its complex with SAH, Ozgur first genetically modified bacterial cells for production of the protein in a variant containing selenium (Se) atoms. Crystals of that protein were taken for diffraction experiments to a synchrotron center that provided an extremely powerful X-ray beam with tunable wavelength. The experimental data were the basis for structure determination, which utilized the method of multiwavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD).

Dr. Cakici's results were published in Acta Crystallographica (Acta Cryst. F64, 1149-1152, 2008) and in the Journal of Molecular Biology (J. Mol. Biol. 404, 874-889, 2010).

Duration: 1m 58s
© Center for Biocrystallographic Research, Poznan

 

The humble Braggs and X-ray crystallography

Solving the patterns of matter

As the field of crystallography celebrates its centenary year we look back at how it all began – with a father and son team and a humble salt crystal.

With the help of archive footage and historic objects from the Ri, Patience Thomson, daughter of William Lawrence Bragg, presents an intimate portrait of her father. From his detailed artworks to his love of detective stories and puzzles, Patience reveals how Lawrence’s unique character and analytical mindset led to numerous scientific breakthroughs.

Plus, find out how he reacted to receiving news of his Nobel Prize while serving on the front during WW1 at the age of 25 and discover how the Braggs applied their scientific knowledge to aid the war effort.

Professor Stephen Curry is also on hand to demonstrate just how important the Braggs' discovery was and how the field of X-ray crystallography has revealed the structure of hundreds of different molecules, from enzymes and proteins to entire viruses. The Braggs' discoveries of 1913 remain at the foundation of modern day techniques and, to date, 29 Nobel Prizes have been awarded to work related to X-ray crystallography.

Our thanks to Stephen Curry, Patience Thompson, and filmmaker Thom Hoffman.

This film was supported by the Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC).

Published: 2013
Filmed: 2013. Duration: 8m 56s
Credits: Thom Hoffman

 License: Creative Commons