SPEDEN: reconstructing single particles from their diffraction patterns.

SPEDEN is a computer program that reconstructs the electron density of single particles from their X-ray diffraction patterns, using a single-particle adaptation of the holographic method in crystallography [Szöke, Szöke & Somoza (1997). Acta Cryst. A53, 291-313]. The method, like its parent, is unique because it does not rely on 'back' transformation from the diffraction pattern into real space and on interpolation within measured data. It is designed to deal successfully with sparse, irregular, incomplete and noisy data. It is also designed to use prior information for ensuring sensible results and for reliable convergence. This article describes the theoretical basis for the reconstruction algorithm, its implementation, and quantitative results of tests on synthetic and experimentally obtained data. The program could be used for determining the structures of radiation-tolerant samples and, eventually, of large biological molecular structures without the need for crystallization.

The catalytic pathway of horseradish peroxidase at high resolution.

A molecular description of oxygen and peroxide activation in biological systems is difficult, because electrons liberated during X-ray data collection reduce the active centres of redox enzymes catalysing these reactions. Here we describe an effective strategy to obtain crystal structures for high-valency redox intermediates and present a three-dimensional movie of the X-ray-driven catalytic reduction of a bound dioxygen species in horseradish peroxidase (HRP). We also describe separate experiments in which high-resolution structures could be obtained for all five oxidation states of HRP, showing such structures with preserved redox states for the first time.