Protein crystallography represents at present the most productive and most widely used method to obtain structural information on target proteins and protein–ligand complexes within the atomic resolution range. The knowledge obtained in this way is essential for understanding the biology, chemistry, and biochemistry of proteins and their functions but also for the development of compounds of high pharmacological and medicinal interest. Here, we address the very central problem in protein crystallography: the unpredictability of the crystallization process. Obtaining protein crystals that diffract to high resolutions represents the essential step to perform any structural study by X-ray crystallography; however, this method still depends basically on trial and error making it a very time- and resource-consuming process. The use of additives is an established process to enable or improve the crystallization of proteins in order to obtain high quality crystals. Therefore, a more universal additive addressing a wider range of proteins is desirable as it would represent a huge advance in protein crystallography and at the same time drastically impact multiple research fields. This in turn could add an overall benefit for the entire society as it profits from the faster development of novel or improved drugs and from a deeper understanding of biological, biochemical, and pharmacological phenomena.

中文翻译：

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在蛋白质晶体学中使用以碲为中心的安德森-埃文斯多氧钨酸盐的十个充分理由

蛋白质晶体学是目前获得原子分辨率范围内目标蛋白质和蛋白质-配体复合物结构信息的最有效和最广泛使用的方法。以这种方式获得的知识对于理解蛋白质及其功能的生物学，化学和生物化学，以及对具有高药理学和医学兴趣的化合物的开发都是必不可少的。在这里，我们解决蛋白质晶体学中一个非常核心的问题：结晶过程的不可预测性。获得衍射到高分辨率的蛋白质晶体是通过X射线晶体学进行任何结构研究的必不可少的步骤。但是，该方法仍然基本上依赖于反复试验，这使其成为非常耗时且耗费资源的过程。添加剂的使用是建立的过程，其能够实现或改善蛋白质的结晶以获得高质量的晶体。因此，需要具有更广泛应用范围的蛋白质的通用添加剂，因为这将代表蛋白质晶体学的巨大进步，同时会极大地影响多个研究领域。反过来，由于新药或改良药的快速开发以及对生物，生化和药理现象的更深入了解，它可以从中受益，从而为整个社会带来整体利益。希望有一种能解决更大范围蛋白质的通用添加剂，因为这将代表蛋白质晶体学的巨大进步，同时会极大地影响多个研究领域。反过来，由于新药或改良药的快速开发以及对生物，生化和药理现象的更深入了解，它可以从中受益，从而为整个社会带来整体利益。希望有一种能解决更大范围蛋白质的通用添加剂，因为这将代表蛋白质晶体学的巨大进步，同时会极大地影响多个研究领域。反过来，由于新药或改良药的快速开发以及对生物，生化和药理现象的更深入了解，它可以从中受益，从而为整个社会带来整体利益。