Study structures of intermediates in the urate oxidase reaction by MicroED

Knowing the 3D atomic structures, charge states and conformational changes in macromolecules is crucial for understanding the functions of macromolecules and chemical processes in biological systems.

In this project, we will develop new methods to determine the 3D atomic structures of macromolecules from nano- and micron-sized crystals, and to explore the feasibility for structure determination of intermediates in the urate oxidase reaction.

We will also explore the feasibility to study charge transfer in the reacion.By applying the new methods developed in the project, we will obtain:High throughput and accurate structure determination of macromolecules from nano/micron-sized crystals.The ability to study structure dynamics of molecules, including charge transfer and conformational change during chemical reactions.Structures of intermediates in the urate oxidase reaction.We expect MicroED to become an important technique in structural chemistry/biology.

It will significantly strengthen the research in structural chemistry/biology in Sweden.

More importantly, many structural problems that cannot be solved using today´s techniques will be tackled through the methods developed in this project.