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The very model of a protein crystallographer

I am the very model of a protein crystallographer
Not just a biologist but density cartographer
I know the space group symmetries triclinic and tetragonal
And cubic, monoclinic not to mention the hexagonal

I’m very good at FFT’s and series termination flaws
And the corresponding ripples that they too often cause
Jokes about P1 bar leave me doubled up in laughter
As I am the very model of a protein crystal(lo)grapher

I can tell a β-sheet from helix or a random coil
And to Ramachandram plots I am currently immensely loy’l
I know when a protein comes from S. typhermurium
And I have read the scientific works of Dr. Kuriyan

I can write coordinates in formats for the PDB
And often have to pay a large proprietary software fee
I know of EJ Dodson and sometimes I talk with ‘er
As I am the very model of a protein crystallographer!

Severely abridged from Janet Newman’s rendition of Gilbert and Sullivan’s 'A Model of a Modern Major General' forwarded by Mitchell Guss.