Neutron scattering for the study of biological systems - major opportunities within a rapidly changing landscape

摘要

Neutrons have become an increasingly powerful and sophisticated tool in structural biology over the last 10-15 years. Major improvements in sources, instrumentation and sample preparation have radically changed the scope of neutron scattering approaches for studies of biological macromolecules in solutions, crystals and partially ordered systems. This is shown by a wide range of high-impact publications that are steadily uncovering novel aspects of biological structure and dynamics that are not accessible to other methods. These developments have come at a time of fundamental change in the scientific landscape, with ground-breaking developments in the use of free-electron laser (FEL) facilities throughout the world, major improvements in the resolution of cryo-electron microscopy, as well as key developments at synchrotron X-ray beam sources.