Map interpretation remains a critical step in solving the structure of a macromolecule. Errors introduced at this early stage may persist throughout crystallographic refinement and result in an incorrect structure. The normally quoted crystallographic residual is often a poor description for the quality of the model. Strategies and tools are described that help to alleviate this problem. These simplify the model-building process, quantify the goodness of fit of the model on a per-residue basis and locate possible errors in peptide and side-chain conformations.

A model building and refinement system is described for use with a Vector General 3400 display. The system allows the user to build models using guide atoms and angles to arrive at the final conformation. It has been used to assist in difference Fourier map interpretation at medium and high resolution, and to build a protein molecule into a multiple isomorphous replacement phased electron density map.

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Since its first isolation, bovine beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) has been an enigma: although it is abundant in the whey fraction of milk, its function is still not clear. The results of the many physicochemical studies on the protein need a structural interpretation. We report here the structure of the orthorhombic crystal form of cow BLG at pH 7.6, at a resolution of 2.8 A. It has an unusual protein fold, composed of two slabs of antiparallel beta-sheet, which shows a remarkable similarity to plasma retinol-binding protein. A possible binding site for retinol in BLG has been identified by model-building. This suggests a role for BLG in vitamin A transport and we have discovered specific receptors for the BLG-retinol complex in the intestine of neonate calves.

The structure of human erythrocytic carbonic anhydrase II has been refined by constrained and restrained structure-factor least-squares refinement at 2.0 A resolution. The conventional crystallographic R value is 17.3%. Of 167 solvent molecules associated with the protein, four are buried and stabilize secondary structure elements. The zinc ion is ligated to three histidyl residues and one water molecule in a nearly tetrahedral geometry. In addition to the zinc-bound water, seven more water molecules are identified in the active site. Assuming that Glu-106 is deprotonated at pH 8.5, some of the hydrogen bond donor-acceptor relations in the active site can be assigned and are described here in detail. The O gamma 1 atom of Thr-199 donates its proton to the O epsilon 1 atom of Glu-106 and can function as a hydrogen bond acceptor only in additional hydrogen bonds.