[ccp4bb]: What has been will be again,what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

["Dunten, Pete {IVDU~Palo Alto}" <PETE.DUNTEN@ROCHE.COM>]

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An interesting patent application has recently been published (US20030049678 A1).  The beginning of the claims section is below, another fine example of Abbott innovation.

We claim: 
1. A process for identifying a ligand to a target biomolecule comprising, a) obtaining a target biomolecule crystal; b) exposing the target biomolecule crystal to one or more test samples; and c) obtaining an X-ray crystal diffraction pattern to determine whether a ligand/receptor complex is formed. 
2. The process according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of obtaining an X-ray crystal diffraction pattern of the target biomolecule crystal prior to exposure to the test samples and comparing the X-ray diffraction pattern of the target molecule before and after the exposure. 
3. The process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of transforming diffraction pattern into an electron density map. 
4. The process according to claim 3 further comprising the step of converting electron density map into a structure. 
5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the target biomolecule is exposed to a test sample by soaking the target biomolecule crystal in a solution that contains the test sample.