A ComputationalTool for Structural Biology: Crystallographic Refinement by Simulated Annealing

Abstract

Conventional refinementof biological macromolecules involvesa series of steps, each of which consists ofa few cyclesofrestrained least-squares refinement with stereochemical and internal packingconstraints orrestraints that are followed by rebuilding the modelstructure with interactive computer graphics. Duringthefinal stages of refinement solvent molecules are usually included and alternative conformations for some atomsor residues in the protein may be introduced.