On the use of X-ray diffraction for studying the temperature dependence of the Young modulus of protein crystals

The possibility of using X-ray diffraction for studying the elastic properties of protein crystals is considered. It is shown for hen egg - white lysozyme tetragonal crystals that the temperature dependences of the Young modulus obtained from X-ray scattering data and in direct mechanical measurements are the same. It is discussed how the changes in general mobility of protein atoms can be estimated using elasticity measurements.