A REVIEW OF ROLE OF X-RAY DIFFRACTION IN STRUCTURAL ELUCIDATION OF BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES

28-HJPV3(1)-2023 Review Article

Abstract

The importance of structural elucidation via X-ray diffraction (XRD) in drug discovery cannot be overstated. It plays a pivotal role in advancing drug development and design by providing valuable insights into the three-dimensional structures of biological macromolecules, such as proteins and enzymes. This review will investigate the different XRD techniques employed in studying the structures of biological macromolecules and explore its role in drug discovery, including target identification, validation, rational drug design, and lead optimization. The review aims to systematically analyze the strengths and limitations of XRD in revealing the structural details of biological molecules. It will also highlight the contribution of XRD in understanding the structural and mechanism aspects of proteins and enzymes. In conclusion, it will identify the potential areas of growth and development in X-ray diffraction techniques for studying complex biological systems.