Donald Caspar
Encyclopedia
Donald L. D. Caspar is an American academic who has made significant scientific contributions in structural biology, x-ray, neutron
and electron diffraction
, and protein plasticity. He has served as a Professor of Biology at the Institute of Molecular Biophysics at Florida State University
. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences
and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
In 1962, Caspar and Aaron Klug
introduced the concept of quasi-equivalence to account for the arrangement of proteins on the surface of icosahedral virus particles. This "Caspar-Klug theory has played an important part in shaping the subsequent study of viruses and other macromolecular assemblies. The original concept was based mainly on electron microscope
studies, and has now been refined to take account of the atomic resolution structure of viruses, and other details of protein-protein interactions that crystallography
has elucidated. Quasi-equivalence continues to be an important component of the philosophical basis for how we think about macromolecular assemblies.
Neutron diffraction
Neutron diffraction or elastic neutron scattering is the application of neutron scattering to the determination of the atomic and/or magnetic structure of a material: A sample to be examined is placed in a beam of thermal or cold neutrons to obtain a diffraction pattern that provides information of...
and electron diffraction
Electron diffraction
Electron diffraction refers to the wave nature of electrons. However, from a technical or practical point of view, it may be regarded as a technique used to study matter by firing electrons at a sample and observing the resulting interference pattern...
, and protein plasticity. He has served as a Professor of Biology at the Institute of Molecular Biophysics at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
In 1962, Caspar and Aaron Klug
Aaron Klug
Sir Aaron Klug, OM, PRS is a Lithuanian-born British chemist and biophysicist, and winner of the 1982 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his development of crystallographic electron microscopy and his structural elucidation of biologically important nucleic acid-protein complexes.-Biography:Klug was...
introduced the concept of quasi-equivalence to account for the arrangement of proteins on the surface of icosahedral virus particles. This "Caspar-Klug theory has played an important part in shaping the subsequent study of viruses and other macromolecular assemblies. The original concept was based mainly on electron microscope
Electron microscope
An electron microscope is a type of microscope that uses a beam of electrons to illuminate the specimen and produce a magnified image. Electron microscopes have a greater resolving power than a light-powered optical microscope, because electrons have wavelengths about 100,000 times shorter than...
studies, and has now been refined to take account of the atomic resolution structure of viruses, and other details of protein-protein interactions that crystallography
Crystallography
Crystallography is the experimental science of the arrangement of atoms in solids. The word "crystallography" derives from the Greek words crystallon = cold drop / frozen drop, with its meaning extending to all solids with some degree of transparency, and grapho = write.Before the development of...
has elucidated. Quasi-equivalence continues to be an important component of the philosophical basis for how we think about macromolecular assemblies.