1
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Nam KH. Guide to serial synchrotron crystallography. Curr Res Struct Biol 2024; 7:100131. [PMID: 38371325 PMCID: PMC10869752 DOI: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2024.100131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Serial crystallography (SX) is an emerging technique that can be used to determine the noncryogenic crystal structure of macromolecules while minimizing radiation damage. Applying SX using pump-probe or mix-and-inject techniques enables the observation of time-resolved molecular reactions and dynamics in macromolecules. After the successful demonstration of the SX experimental technique with structure determination in serial femtosecond crystallography using an X-ray free electron laser, this method was adapted to the synchrotron, leading to the development of serial synchrotron crystallography (SSX). SSX offers new opportunities for researchers to leverage SX techniques, contributing to the advancement of structural biology and offering a deeper understanding of the structure and function of macromolecules. This review covers the background and advantages of SSX and its experimental approach. It also discusses important considerations when conducting SSX experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Hyun Nam
- College of General Education, Kookmin University, Seoul, 02707, Republic of Korea
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2
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Paulson L, Narayanasamy SR, Shelby ML, Frank M, Trebbin M. Advanced manufacturing provides tailor-made solutions for crystallography with x-ray free-electron lasers. STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS (MELVILLE, N.Y.) 2024; 11:011101. [PMID: 38389979 PMCID: PMC10883715 DOI: 10.1063/4.0000229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Serial crystallography at large facilities, such as x-ray free-electron lasers and synchrotrons, evolved as a powerful method for the high-resolution structural investigation of proteins that are critical for human health, thus advancing drug discovery and novel therapies. However, a critical barrier to successful serial crystallography experiments lies in the efficient handling of the protein microcrystals and solutions at microscales. Microfluidics are the obvious approach for any high-throughput, nano-to-microliter sample handling, that also requires design flexibility and rapid prototyping to deal with the variable shapes, sizes, and density of crystals. Here, we discuss recent advances in polymer 3D printing for microfluidics-based serial crystallography research and present a demonstration of emerging, large-scale, nano-3D printing approaches leading into the future of 3D sample environment and delivery device fabrication from liquid jet gas-dynamic virtual nozzles devices to fixed-target sample environment technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Paulson
- Department of Chemistry & Research and Education in Energy, Environment and Water (RENEW), The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA
| | - Sankar Raju Narayanasamy
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - Megan L. Shelby
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA
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3
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Henning RW, Kosheleva I, Šrajer V, Kim IS, Zoellner E, Ranganathan R. BioCARS: Synchrotron facility for probing structural dynamics of biological macromolecules. STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS (MELVILLE, N.Y.) 2024; 11:014301. [PMID: 38304444 PMCID: PMC10834067 DOI: 10.1063/4.0000238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
A major goal in biomedical science is to move beyond static images of proteins and other biological macromolecules to the internal dynamics underlying their function. This level of study is necessary to understand how these molecules work and to engineer new functions and modulators of function. Stemming from a visionary commitment to this problem by Keith Moffat decades ago, a community of structural biologists has now enabled a set of x-ray scattering technologies for observing intramolecular dynamics in biological macromolecules at atomic resolution and over the broad range of timescales over which motions are functionally relevant. Many of these techniques are provided by BioCARS, a cutting-edge synchrotron radiation facility built under Moffat leadership and located at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. BioCARS enables experimental studies of molecular dynamics with time resolutions spanning from 100 ps to seconds and provides both time-resolved x-ray crystallography and small- and wide-angle x-ray scattering. Structural changes can be initiated by several methods-UV/Vis pumping with tunable picosecond and nanosecond laser pulses, substrate diffusion, and global perturbations, such as electric field and temperature jumps. Studies of dynamics typically involve subtle perturbations to molecular structures, requiring specialized computational techniques for data processing and interpretation. In this review, we present the challenges in experimental macromolecular dynamics and describe the current state of experimental capabilities at this facility. As Moffat imagined years ago, BioCARS is now positioned to catalyze the scientific community to make fundamental advances in understanding proteins and other complex biological macromolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W. Henning
- BioCARS, Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Irina Kosheleva
- BioCARS, Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Vukica Šrajer
- BioCARS, Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - In-Sik Kim
- BioCARS, Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Eric Zoellner
- BioCARS, Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Rama Ranganathan
- BioCARS, Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
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4
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Botha S, Fromme P. Review of serial femtosecond crystallography including the COVID-19 pandemic impact and future outlook. Structure 2023; 31:1306-1319. [PMID: 37898125 PMCID: PMC10842180 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) revolutionized macromolecular crystallography over the past decade by enabling the collection of X-ray diffraction data from nano- or micrometer sized crystals while outrunning structure-altering radiation damage effects at room temperature. The serial manner of data collection from millions of individual crystals coupled with the femtosecond duration of the ultrabright X-ray pulses enables time-resolved studies of macromolecules under near-physiological conditions to unprecedented temporal resolution. In 2020 the rapid spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 resulted in a global pandemic of coronavirus disease-2019. This led to a shift in how serial femtosecond experiments were performed, along with rapid funding and free electron laser beamtime availability dedicated to SARS-CoV-2-related studies. This review outlines the current state of SFX research, the milestones that were achieved, the impact of the global pandemic on this field as well as an outlook into exciting future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Botha
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1504, USA.
| | - Petra Fromme
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA.
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5
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Bjelčić M, Sigfridsson Clauss KGV, Aurelius O, Milas M, Nan J, Ursby T. Anaerobic fixed-target serial crystallography using sandwiched silicon nitride membranes. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2023; 79:1018-1025. [PMID: 37860963 PMCID: PMC10619425 DOI: 10.1107/s205979832300880x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the emergence of serial crystallography, initially pioneered at X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs), has sparked a growing interest in collecting macromolecular crystallographic data at room temperature. Various fixed-target serial crystallography techniques have been developed, ranging from commercially available chips to in-house designs implemented at different synchrotron facilities. Nevertheless, there is currently no commercially available chip (known to the authors) specifically designed for the direct handling of oxygen-sensitive samples. This study presents a methodology employing silicon nitride chips arranged in a `sandwich' configuration, enabling reliable room-temperature data collection from oxygen-sensitive samples. The method involves the utilization of a custom-made 3D-printed assembling tool and a MX sample holder. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, deoxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin samples were investigated using the BioMAX X-ray macromolecular crystallography beamline, the Balder X-ray absorption spectroscopy beamline and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Bjelčić
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, PO Box 118, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Oskar Aurelius
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, PO Box 118, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Mirko Milas
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, PO Box 118, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jie Nan
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, PO Box 118, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Thomas Ursby
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, PO Box 118, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
- LINXS Institute of Advanced Neutron and X-ray Science, Lund, Sweden
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6
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Nango E, Iwata S. Recent progress in membrane protein dynamics revealed by X-ray free electron lasers: Molecular movies of microbial rhodopsins. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 81:102629. [PMID: 37354789 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Microbial rhodopsin is a membrane protein with a domain of seven-transmembrane helices and a retinal chromophore. The main function of this protein is to perform light-induced ion transport, either actively or passively, by acting as pumps, channels, and light sensors. It is widely used for optogenetic application to control the activity of specific cells in living tissues by light. Time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (TR-SFX) with the use of X-ray free electron lasers is an effective technique for capturing dynamic ion transport and efflux structures across membranes with high spatial and temporal resolutions. Here, we outline recent TR-SFX studies of microbial rhodopsins, including a pump and a channel. We also discuss differences and similarities observed in the structural dynamics derived from the TR-SFX structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eriko Nango
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan; Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan. https://twitter.com/@enango_5
| | - So Iwata
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan; Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshidakonoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
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7
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Shoeman RL, Hartmann E, Schlichting I. Growing and making nano- and microcrystals. Nat Protoc 2023; 18:854-882. [PMID: 36451055 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00777-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Thanks to recent technological advances in X-ray and micro-electron diffraction and solid-state NMR, structural information can be obtained by using much smaller crystals. Thus, microcrystals have become a valuable commodity rather than a mere stepping stone toward obtaining macroscopic crystals. Microcrystals are particularly useful for structure determination using serial data collection approaches at synchrotrons and X-ray free-electron lasers. The latter's enormous peak brilliance and short X-ray pulse duration mean that structural information can be obtained before the effects of radiation damage are seen; these properties also facilitate time-resolved crystallography. To establish defined reaction initiation conditions, microcrystals with a desired and narrow size distribution are critical. Here, we describe milling and seeding techniques as well as filtration approaches for the reproducible and size-adjustable preparation of homogeneous nano- and microcrystals. Nanocrystals and crystal seeds can be obtained by milling using zirconium beads and the BeadBug homogenizer; fragmentation of large crystals yields micro- or nanocrystals by flowing crystals through stainless steel filters by using an HPLC pump. The approaches can be scaled to generate micro- to milliliter quantities of microcrystals, starting from macroscopic crystals. The procedure typically takes 3-5 d, including the time required to grow the microcrystals.
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8
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Zhao FZ, Wang ZJ, Xiao QJ, Yu L, Sun B, Hou Q, Chen LL, Liang H, Wu H, Guo WH, He JH, Wang QS, Yin DC. Microfluidic rotating-target device capable of three-degrees-of-freedom motion for efficient in situ serial synchrotron crystallography. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2023; 30:347-358. [PMID: 36891848 PMCID: PMC10000801 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577523000462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
There is an increasing demand for simple and efficient sample delivery technology to match the rapid development of serial crystallography and its wide application in analyzing the structural dynamics of biological macromolecules. Here, a microfluidic rotating-target device is presented, capable of three-degrees-of-freedom motion, including two rotational degrees of freedom and one translational degree of freedom, for sample delivery. Lysozyme crystals were used as a test model with this device to collect serial synchrotron crystallography data and the device was found to be convenient and useful. This device enables in situ diffraction from crystals in a microfluidic channel without the need for crystal harvesting. The circular motion ensures that the delivery speed can be adjusted over a wide range, showing its good compatibility with different light sources. Moreover, the three-degrees-of-freedom motion guarantees the full utilization of crystals. Hence, sample consumption is greatly reduced, and only 0.1 mg of protein is consumed in collecting a complete dataset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Zhu Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, People’s Republic of China
- School of NCO, Army Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050081, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Jun Wang
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qing-Jie Xiao
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li Yu
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bo Sun
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qian Hou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liang-Liang Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huan Liang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hai Wu
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei-Hong Guo
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian-Hua He
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qi-Sheng Wang
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, People’s Republic of China
| | - Da-Chuan Yin
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, People’s Republic of China
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9
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Raimondi P, Benabderrahmane C, Berkvens P, Biasci JC, Borowiec P, Bouteille JF, Brochard T, Brookes NB, Carmignani N, Carver LR, Chaize JM, Chavanne J, Checchia S, Chushkin Y, Cianciosi F, Di Michiel M, Dimper R, D’Elia A, Einfeld D, Ewald F, Farvacque L, Goirand L, Hardy L, Jacob J, Jolly L, Krisch M, Le Bec G, Leconte I, Liuzzo SM, Maccarrone C, Marchial T, Martin D, Mezouar M, Nevo C, Perron T, Plouviez E, Reichert H, Renaud P, Revol JL, Roche B, Scheidt KB, Serriere V, Sette F, Susini J, Torino L, Versteegen R, White S, Zontone F. The Extremely Brilliant Source storage ring of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. COMMUNICATIONS PHYSICS 2023; 6:82. [PMID: 37124119 PMCID: PMC10124696 DOI: 10.1038/s42005-023-01195-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The Extremely Brilliant Source (EBS) is the experimental implementation of the novel Hybrid Multi Bend Achromat (HMBA) storage ring magnetic lattice concept, which has been realised at European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. We present its successful commissioning and first operation. We highlight the strengths of the HMBA design and compare them to the previous designs, on which most operational synchrotron X-ray sources are based. We report on the EBS storage ring's significantly improved horizontal electron beam emittance and other key beam parameters. EBS extends the reach of synchrotron X-ray science confirming the HMBA concept for future facility upgrades and new constructions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pantaleo Raimondi
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Paul Berkvens
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Jean Claude Biasci
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Pawel Borowiec
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Thierry Brochard
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Nicholas B. Brookes
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Nicola Carmignani
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Lee R. Carver
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Jean-Michel Chaize
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Joel Chavanne
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Stefano Checchia
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Yuriy Chushkin
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Filippo Cianciosi
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Marco Di Michiel
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Rudolf Dimper
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Alessandro D’Elia
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Dieter Einfeld
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Friederike Ewald
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Laurent Farvacque
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Loys Goirand
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Laurent Hardy
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Jorn Jacob
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Laurent Jolly
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Michael Krisch
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Gael Le Bec
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Isabelle Leconte
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Simone M. Liuzzo
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Cristian Maccarrone
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Thierry Marchial
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - David Martin
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Mohamed Mezouar
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Christian Nevo
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Thomas Perron
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Eric Plouviez
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Harald Reichert
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Pascal Renaud
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Jean-Luc Revol
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Benoît Roche
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Kees-Bertus Scheidt
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Vincent Serriere
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Francesco Sette
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Jean Susini
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Laura Torino
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Reine Versteegen
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Simon White
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Federico Zontone
- ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
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10
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Sonker M, Doppler D, Egatz-Gomez A, Zaare S, Rabbani MT, Manna A, Cruz Villarreal J, Nelson G, Ketawala GK, Karpos K, Alvarez RC, Nazari R, Thifault D, Jernigan R, Oberthür D, Han H, Sierra R, Hunter MS, Batyuk A, Kupitz CJ, Sublett RE, Poitevin F, Lisova S, Mariani V, Tolstikova A, Boutet S, Messerschmidt M, Meza-Aguilar JD, Fromme R, Martin-Garcia JM, Botha S, Fromme P, Grant TD, Kirian RA, Ros A. Electrically stimulated droplet injector for reduced sample consumption in serial crystallography. BIOPHYSICAL REPORTS 2022; 2:100081. [PMID: 36425668 PMCID: PMC9680787 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpr.2022.100081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
With advances in X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs), serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) has enabled the static and dynamic structure determination for challenging proteins such as membrane protein complexes. In SFX with XFELs, the crystals are typically destroyed after interacting with a single XFEL pulse. Therefore, thousands of new crystals must be sequentially introduced into the X-ray beam to collect full data sets. Because of the serial nature of any SFX experiment, up to 99% of the sample delivered to the X-ray beam during its "off-time" between X-ray pulses is wasted due to the intrinsic pulsed nature of all current XFELs. To solve this major problem of large and often limiting sample consumption, we report on improvements of a revolutionary sample-saving method that is compatible with all current XFELs. We previously reported 3D-printed injection devices coupled with gas dynamic virtual nozzles (GDVNs) capable of generating samples containing droplets segmented by an immiscible oil phase for jetting crystal-laden droplets into the path of an XFEL. Here, we have further improved the device design by including metal electrodes inducing electrowetting effects for improved control over droplet generation frequency to stimulate the droplet release to matching the XFEL repetition rate by employing an electrical feedback mechanism. We report the improvements in this electrically triggered segmented flow approach for sample conservation in comparison with a continuous GDVN injection using the microcrystals of lysozyme and 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate 8-phosphate synthase and report the segmented flow approach for sample injection applied at the Macromolecular Femtosecond Crystallography instrument at the Linear Coherent Light Source for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukul Sonker
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Diandra Doppler
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Ana Egatz-Gomez
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Sahba Zaare
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Mohammad T. Rabbani
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Abhik Manna
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Jorvani Cruz Villarreal
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Garrett Nelson
- Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Gihan K. Ketawala
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Konstantinos Karpos
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Roberto C. Alvarez
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Reza Nazari
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Darren Thifault
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Rebecca Jernigan
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Dominik Oberthür
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Raymond Sierra
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California
| | - Mark S. Hunter
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California
| | - Alexander Batyuk
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California
| | - Christopher J. Kupitz
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California
| | - Robert E. Sublett
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California
| | - Frederic Poitevin
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California
| | - Stella Lisova
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California
| | - Valerio Mariani
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California
| | - Alexandra Tolstikova
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sebastien Boutet
- Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California
| | - Marc Messerschmidt
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - J. Domingo Meza-Aguilar
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Raimund Fromme
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Jose M. Martin-Garcia
- Institute Physical-Chemistry Rocasolano, Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sabine Botha
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Petra Fromme
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Thomas D. Grant
- Department of Structural Biology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, SUNY University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Richard A. Kirian
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Alexandra Ros
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
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11
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Zielinski KA, Prester A, Andaleeb H, Bui S, Yefanov O, Catapano L, Henkel A, Wiedorn MO, Lorbeer O, Crosas E, Meyer J, Mariani V, Domaracky M, White TA, Fleckenstein H, Sarrou I, Werner N, Betzel C, Rohde H, Aepfelbacher M, Chapman HN, Perbandt M, Steiner RA, Oberthuer D. Rapid and efficient room-temperature serial synchrotron crystallography using the CFEL TapeDrive. IUCRJ 2022; 9:778-791. [PMID: 36381150 PMCID: PMC9634612 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252522010193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Serial crystallography at conventional synchrotron light sources (SSX) offers the possibility to routinely collect data at room temperature using micrometre-sized crystals of biological macromolecules. However, SSX data collection is not yet as routine and currently takes significantly longer than the standard rotation series cryo-crystallography. Thus, its use for high-throughput approaches, such as fragment-based drug screening, where the possibility to measure at physio-logical temperatures would be a great benefit, is impaired. On the way to high-throughput SSX using a conveyor belt based sample delivery system - the CFEL TapeDrive - with three different proteins of biological relevance (Klebsiella pneumoniae CTX-M-14 β-lactamase, Nectria haematococca xylanase GH11 and Aspergillus flavus urate oxidase), it is shown here that complete datasets can be collected in less than a minute and only minimal amounts of sample are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara A Zielinski
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Prester
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hina Andaleeb
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, University of Hamburg, c/o DESY, Building 22a, Notkestr. 85, 22603 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Soi Bui
- Randall Centre of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | - Oleksandr Yefanov
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lucrezia Catapano
- Randall Centre of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, United Kingdom
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandra Henkel
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Max O. Wiedorn
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Olga Lorbeer
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Eva Crosas
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Meyer
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Valerio Mariani
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Domaracky
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas A. White
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Holger Fleckenstein
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Iosifina Sarrou
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nadine Werner
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, University of Hamburg, c/o DESY, Building 22a, Notkestr. 85, 22603 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Betzel
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, University of Hamburg, c/o DESY, Building 22a, Notkestr. 85, 22603 Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Holger Rohde
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Aepfelbacher
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Henry N. Chapman
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Perbandt
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, University of Hamburg, c/o DESY, Building 22a, Notkestr. 85, 22603 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Roberto A. Steiner
- Randall Centre of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, United Kingdom
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, Padova 35131, Italy
| | - Dominik Oberthuer
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
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12
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Moreno-Chicano T, Carey LM, Axford D, Beale JH, Doak RB, Duyvesteyn HME, Ebrahim A, Henning RW, Monteiro DCF, Myles DA, Owada S, Sherrell DA, Straw ML, Šrajer V, Sugimoto H, Tono K, Tosha T, Tews I, Trebbin M, Strange RW, Weiss KL, Worrall JAR, Meilleur F, Owen RL, Ghiladi RA, Hough MA. Complementarity of neutron, XFEL and synchrotron crystallography for defining the structures of metalloenzymes at room temperature. IUCRJ 2022; 9:610-624. [PMID: 36071813 PMCID: PMC9438502 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252522006418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Room-temperature macromolecular crystallography allows protein structures to be determined under close-to-physiological conditions, permits dynamic freedom in protein motions and enables time-resolved studies. In the case of metalloenzymes that are highly sensitive to radiation damage, such room-temperature experiments can present challenges, including increased rates of X-ray reduction of metal centres and site-specific radiation-damage artefacts, as well as in devising appropriate sample-delivery and data-collection methods. It can also be problematic to compare structures measured using different crystal sizes and light sources. In this study, structures of a multifunctional globin, dehaloperoxidase B (DHP-B), obtained using several methods of room-temperature crystallographic structure determination are described and compared. Here, data were measured from large single crystals and multiple microcrystals using neutrons, X-ray free-electron laser pulses, monochromatic synchrotron radiation and polychromatic (Laue) radiation light sources. These approaches span a range of 18 orders of magnitude in measurement time per diffraction pattern and four orders of magnitude in crystal volume. The first room-temperature neutron structures of DHP-B are also presented, allowing the explicit identification of the hydrogen positions. The neutron data proved to be complementary to the serial femtosecond crystallography data, with both methods providing structures free of the effects of X-ray radiation damage when compared with standard cryo-crystallography. Comparison of these room-temperature methods demonstrated the large differences in sample requirements, data-collection time and the potential for radiation damage between them. With regard to the structure and function of DHP-B, despite the results being partly limited by differences in the underlying structures, new information was gained on the protonation states of active-site residues which may guide future studies of DHP-B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadeo Moreno-Chicano
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
| | - Leiah M. Carey
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA
| | - Danny Axford
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - John H. Beale
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - R. Bruce Doak
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Helen M. E. Duyvesteyn
- Division of Structural Biology (STRUBI), University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom
| | - Ali Ebrahim
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Robert W. Henning
- BioCARS, University of Chicago, Building 434B, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Diana C. F. Monteiro
- Hauptman–Woodward Medical Research Institute, 700 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203-1102, USA
| | - Dean A. Myles
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Shigeki Owada
- Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
| | - Darren A. Sherrell
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Megan L. Straw
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
| | - Vukica Šrajer
- BioCARS, University of Chicago, Building 434B, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | | | - Kensuke Tono
- Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
| | - Takehiko Tosha
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
| | - Ivo Tews
- Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Trebbin
- Hauptman–Woodward Medical Research Institute, 700 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203-1102, USA
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Richard W. Strange
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin L. Weiss
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jonathan A. R. Worrall
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
| | - Flora Meilleur
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Robin L. Owen
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Reza A. Ghiladi
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA
| | - Michael A. Hough
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
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13
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Schneps CM, Ganguly A, Crane BR. Room-temperature serial synchrotron crystallography of Drosophila cryptochrome. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2022; 78:975-985. [PMID: 35916222 PMCID: PMC9344480 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798322007008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Fixed-target serial crystallography allows the high-throughput collection of diffraction data from small crystals at room temperature. This methodology is particularly useful for difficult samples that have sensitivity to radiation damage or intolerance to cryoprotection measures; fixed-target methods also have the added benefit of low sample consumption. Here, this method is applied to the structure determination of the circadian photoreceptor cryptochrome (CRY), previous structures of which have been determined at cryogenic temperature. In determining the structure, several data-filtering strategies were tested for combining observations from the hundreds of crystals that contributed to the final data set. Removing data sets based on the average correlation coefficient among equivalent reflection intensities between a given data set and all others was most effective at improving the data quality and maintaining overall completeness. CRYs are light sensors that undergo conformational photoactivation. Comparisons between the cryogenic and room-temperature CRY structures reveal regions of enhanced mobility at room temperature in loops that have functional importance within the CRY family of proteins. The B factors of the room-temperature structure correlate well with those predicted from molecular-dynamics simulations.
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14
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Lee K, Kim J, Baek S, Park J, Park S, Lee JL, Chung WK, Cho Y, Nam KH. Combination of an inject-and-transfer system for serial femtosecond crystallography. J Appl Crystallogr 2022; 55:813-822. [DOI: 10.1107/s1600576722005556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) enables the determination of room-temperature crystal structures of macromolecules with minimized radiation damage and provides time-resolved molecular dynamics by pump–probe or mix-and-inject experiments. In SFX, a variety of sample delivery methods with unique advantages have been developed and applied. The combination of existing sample delivery methods can enable a new approach to SFX data collection that combines the advantages of the individual methods. This study introduces a combined inject-and-transfer system (BITS) method for sample delivery in SFX experiments: a hybrid injection and fixed-target scanning method. BITS allows for solution samples to be reliably deposited on ultraviolet ozone (UVO)-treated polyimide films, at a minimum flow rate of 0.5 nl min−1, in both vertical and horizontal scanning modes. To utilize BITS in SFX experiments, lysozyme crystal samples were embedded in a viscous lard medium and injected at flow rates of 50–100 nl min−1 through a syringe needle onto a UVO-treated polyimide film, which was mounted on a fixed-target scan stage. The crystal samples deposited on the film were raster scanned with an X-ray free electron laser using a motion stage in both horizontal and vertical directions. Using the BITS method, the room-temperature structure of lysozyme was successfully determined at a resolution of 2.1 Å, and thus BITS could be utilized in future SFX experiments.
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15
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Malla TN, Schmidt M. Transient state measurements on proteins by time-resolved crystallography. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 74:102376. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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16
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Foos N, Rizk M, Nanao MH. Single-support serial isomorphous replacement phasing. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2022; 78:716-724. [PMID: 35647919 PMCID: PMC9159287 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798322003977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A simple method for serial single isomorphous replacement, which exploits natural differences in heavy-atom occupancy, is presented. The use of single isomorphous replacement (SIR) has become less widespread due to difficulties in sample preparation and the identification of isomorphous native and derivative data sets. Non-isomorphism becomes even more problematic in serial experiments, because it adds natural inter-crystal non-isomorphism to heavy-atom-soaking-induced non-isomorphism. Here, a method that can successfully address these issues (and indeed can benefit from differences in heavy-atom occupancy) and additionally significantly simplifies the SIR experiment is presented. A single heavy-atom soak into a microcrystalline slurry is performed, followed by automated serial data collection of partial data sets. This produces a set of data collections with a gradient of heavy-atom occupancies, which are reflected in differential merging statistics. These differences can be exploited by an optimized genetic algorithm to segregate the pool of data sets into ‘native’ and ‘derivative’ groups, which can then be used to successfully determine phases experimentally by SIR.
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17
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Berntsen P, Darmanin C, Balaur E, Flueckiger L, Kozlov A, Roque FG, Adams P, Binns J, Wells D, Hadian Jazi M, Saha S, Hawley A, Ryan T, Mudie S, Kirby N, Abbey B, Martin AV. Stability, flow alignment and a phase transition of the lipidic cubic phase during continuous flow injection. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 611:588-598. [PMID: 34973655 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.12.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Continuous flow injection is a key technology for serial crystallography measurements of protein crystals suspended in the lipidic cubic phase (LCP). To date, there has been little discussion in the literature regarding the impact of the injection process itself on the structure of the lipidic phase. This is despite the fact that the phase of the injection matrix is critical for the flow properties of the stream and potentially for sample stability. Here we report small-angle X-ray scattering measurements of a monoolein:water mixture during continuous delivery using a high viscosity injector. We observe both an alignment and modification of the LCP as a direct result of the injection process. The orientation of the cubic lattice with respect to the beam was estimated based on the anisotropy of the diffraction pattern and does not correspond to a single low order zone axis. The solvent fraction was also observed to impact the stability of the cubic phase during injection. In addition, depending on the distance traveled by the lipid after exiting the needle, the phase is observed to transition from a pure diamond phase (Pn3m) to a mixture containing both gyriod (Ia3d) and lamellar (Lα) phases. Finite element modelling of the observed phase behaviour during injection indicates that the pressure exerted on the lipid stream during extrusion accounts for the variations in the phase composition of the monoolein:water mixture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Berntsen
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3086, VIC, Australia
| | - Connie Darmanin
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3086, VIC, Australia.
| | - Eugeniu Balaur
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3086, VIC, Australia
| | - Leonie Flueckiger
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3086, VIC, Australia
| | - Alex Kozlov
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Francisco G Roque
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3086, VIC, Australia
| | - Patrick Adams
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne 3000 Australia
| | - Jack Binns
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne 3000 Australia
| | - Daniel Wells
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3086, VIC, Australia
| | - Marjan Hadian Jazi
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3086, VIC, Australia
| | - Saumitra Saha
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Adrian Hawley
- The Australian Nuclear Science Technology Organisation, The Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Vic, Australia
| | - Tim Ryan
- The Australian Nuclear Science Technology Organisation, The Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Vic, Australia
| | - Stephen Mudie
- The Australian Nuclear Science Technology Organisation, The Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Vic, Australia
| | - Nigel Kirby
- The Australian Nuclear Science Technology Organisation, The Australian Synchrotron, Clayton, Vic, Australia
| | - Brian Abbey
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3086, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew V Martin
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne 3000 Australia.
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18
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Nam KH. Hit and Indexing Rate in Serial Crystallography: Incomparable Statistics. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:858815. [PMID: 35402509 PMCID: PMC8990040 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.858815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ki Hyun Nam
- Department of Life Science, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea
- POSTECH Biotech Center, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Ki Hyun Nam,
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19
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Vakili M, Bielecki J, Knoška J, Otte F, Han H, Kloos M, Schubert R, Delmas E, Mills G, de Wijn R, Letrun R, Dold S, Bean R, Round A, Kim Y, Lima FA, Dörner K, Valerio J, Heymann M, Mancuso AP, Schulz J. 3D printed devices and infrastructure for liquid sample delivery at the European XFEL. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2022; 29:331-346. [PMID: 35254295 PMCID: PMC8900844 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577521013370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Sample Environment and Characterization (SEC) group of the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (EuXFEL) develops sample delivery systems for the various scientific instruments, including systems for the injection of liquid samples that enable serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography (SFX) and single-particle imaging (SPI) experiments, among others. For rapid prototyping of various device types and materials, sub-micrometre precision 3D printers are used to address the specific experimental conditions of SFX and SPI by providing a large number of devices with reliable performance. This work presents the current pool of 3D printed liquid sample delivery devices, based on the two-photon polymerization (2PP) technique. These devices encompass gas dynamic virtual nozzles (GDVNs), mixing-GDVNs, high-viscosity extruders (HVEs) and electrospray conical capillary tips (CCTs) with highly reproducible geometric features that are suitable for time-resolved SFX and SPI experiments at XFEL facilities. Liquid sample injection setups and infrastructure on the Single Particles, Clusters, and Biomolecules and Serial Femtosecond Crystallography (SPB/SFX) instrument are described, this being the instrument which is designated for biological structure determination at the EuXFEL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Juraj Knoška
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Florian Otte
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
- Department of Physics, TU Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Straße 4, 44221 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Huijong Han
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
| | - Marco Kloos
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
| | | | - Elisa Delmas
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
| | - Grant Mills
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
| | | | - Romain Letrun
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
| | - Simon Dold
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
| | - Richard Bean
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
| | - Adam Round
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Yoonhee Kim
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
| | | | | | - Joana Valerio
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
| | - Michael Heymann
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems (IBBS), University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Adrian P. Mancuso
- European XFEL, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS), La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
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20
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Chaussavoine I, Isabet T, Lener R, Montaville P, Vasireddi R, Chavas LMG. Implementation of wedged-serial protein crystallography at PROXIMA-1. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2022; 29:439-446. [PMID: 35254307 PMCID: PMC8900848 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577521013242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
An approach for serial crystallography experiments based on wedged-data collection is described. This is an alternative method for recording in situ X-ray diffraction data on crystalline samples efficiently loaded in an X-ray compatible microfluidic chip. Proper handling of the microfluidic chip places crystalline samples at geometrically known positions with respect to the focused X-ray interaction area for serial data collection of small wedges. The integration of this strategy takes advantage of the greatly modular sample environment available on the endstation, which allows access to both in situ and more classical cryo-crystallography with minimum time loss. The method represents another optional data collection approach that adds up to the already large set of methods made available to users. Coupled with the advances in processing serial crystallography data, the wedged-data collection strategy proves highly efficient in minimizing the amount of required sample crystals for recording a complete dataset. From the advances in microfluidic technology presented here, high-throughput room-temperature crystallography experiments may become routine and should be easily extended to industrial use.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Robin Lener
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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21
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Nanao M, Basu S, Zander U, Giraud T, Surr J, Guijarro M, Lentini M, Felisaz F, Sinoir J, Morawe C, Vivo A, Beteva A, Oscarsson M, Caserotto H, Dobias F, Flot D, Nurizzo D, Gigmes J, Foos N, Siebrecht R, Roth T, Theveneau P, Svensson O, Papp G, Lavault B, Cipriani F, Barrett R, Clavel C, Leonard G. ID23-2: an automated and high-performance microfocus beamline for macromolecular crystallography at the ESRF. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2022; 29:581-590. [PMID: 35254323 PMCID: PMC8900849 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577522000984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
ID23-2 is a fixed-energy (14.2 keV) microfocus beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) dedicated to macromolecular crystallography. The optics and sample environment have recently been redesigned and rebuilt to take full advantage of the upgrade of the ESRF to the fourth generation Extremely Brilliant Source (ESRF-EBS). The upgraded beamline now makes use of two sets of compound refractive lenses and multilayer mirrors to obtain a highly intense (>1013 photons s-1) focused microbeam (minimum size 1.5 µm × 3 µm full width at half-maximum). The sample environment now includes a FLEX-HCD sample changer/storage system, as well as a state-of-the-art MD3Up high-precision multi-axis diffractometer. Automatic data reduction and analysis are also provided for more advanced protocols such as synchrotron serial crystallographic experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Nanao
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Shibom Basu
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Ulrich Zander
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Thierry Giraud
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - John Surr
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Matias Guijarro
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Mario Lentini
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Franck Felisaz
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Jeremy Sinoir
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Christian Morawe
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Amparo Vivo
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Antonia Beteva
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Marcus Oscarsson
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Hugo Caserotto
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Fabien Dobias
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - David Flot
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Didier Nurizzo
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Jonathan Gigmes
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Nicolas Foos
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Thomas Roth
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Pascal Theveneau
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Olof Svensson
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Gergely Papp
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Florent Cipriani
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Ray Barrett
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Carole Clavel
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Gordon Leonard
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
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22
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Nam KH. Beef tallow injection matrix for serial crystallography. Sci Rep 2022; 12:694. [PMID: 35027663 PMCID: PMC8758675 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04714-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Serial crystallography (SX) enables the visualization of the time-resolved molecular dynamics of macromolecular structures at room temperature while minimizing radiation damage. In SX experiments, the delivery of a large number of crystals into an X-ray interaction point in a serial and stable manner is key. Sample delivery using viscous medium maintains the stable injection stream at low flow rates, markedly reducing sample consumption compared with that of a liquid jet injector and is widely applied in SX experiments with low repetition rates. As the sample properties and experimental environment can affect the stability of the injection stream of a viscous medium, it is important to develop sample delivery media with various characteristics to optimize the experimental environment. In this study, a beef tallow injection matrix possessing a higher melting temperature than previously reported fat-based shortening and lard media was introduced as a sample delivery medium and applied to SX. Beef tallow was prepared by heat treating fats from cattle, followed by the removal of soluble impurities from the extract by phase separation. Beef tallow exhibited a very stable injection stream at room temperature and a flow rate of < 10 nL/min. The room-temperature structures of lysozyme and glucose isomerase embedded in beef tallow were successfully determined at 1.55 and 1.60 Å, respectively. The background scattering of beef tallow was higher than that of previously reported fat-based shortening and lard media but negligible for data processing. In conclusion, the beef tallow matrix can be employed for sample delivery in SX experiments conducted at temperatures exceeding room temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Hyun Nam
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Korea. .,POSTECH Biotech Center, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Korea.
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23
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Abstract
Serial crystallography (SX) is an emerging technique to determine macromolecules at room temperature. SX with a pump–probe experiment provides the time-resolved dynamics of target molecules. SX has developed rapidly over the past decade as a technique that not only provides room-temperature structures with biomolecules, but also has the ability to time-resolve their molecular dynamics. The serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) technique using an X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) has now been extended to serial synchrotron crystallography (SSX) using synchrotron X-rays. The development of a variety of sample delivery techniques and data processing programs is currently accelerating SX research, thereby increasing the research scope. In this editorial, I briefly review some of the experimental techniques that have contributed to advances in the field of SX research and recent major research achievements. This Special Issue will contribute to the field of SX research.
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24
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Processing of Multicrystal Diffraction Patterns in Macromolecular Crystallography Using Serial Crystallography Programs. CRYSTALS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst12010103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cryocrystallography is a widely used method for determining the crystal structure of macromolecules. This technique uses a cryoenvironment, which significantly reduces the radiation damage to the crystals and has the advantage of requiring only one crystal for structural determination. In standard cryocrystallography, a single crystal is used for collecting diffraction data, which include single-crystal diffraction patterns. However, the X-ray data recorded often may contain diffraction patterns from several crystals. The indexing of multicrystal diffraction patterns in cryocrystallography requires more precise data processing techniques and is therefore time consuming. Here, an approach for processing multicrystal diffraction data using a serial crystallography program is introduced that allows for the integration of multicrystal diffraction patterns from a single image. Multicrystal diffraction data were collected from lysozyme crystals and processed using the serial crystallography program CrystFEL. From 360 images containing multicrystal diffraction patterns, 1138 and 691 crystal lattices could be obtained using the XGANDALF and MOSFLM indexing algorithms, respectively. Using this indexed multi-lattice information, the crystal structure of the lysozyme could be determined successfully at a resolution of 1.9 Å. Therefore, the proposed approach, which is based on serial crystallography, is suitable for processing multicrystal diffraction data in cryocrystallography.
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25
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Schulz EC, Yorke BA, Pearson AR, Mehrabi P. Best practices for time-resolved serial synchrotron crystallography. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2022; 78:14-29. [PMID: 34981758 PMCID: PMC8725164 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798321011621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
With recent developments in X-ray sources, instrumentation and data-analysis tools, time-resolved crystallographic experiments, which were originally the preserve of a few expert groups, are becoming simpler and can be carried out at more radiation sources, and are thus increasingly accessible to a growing user base. However, these experiments are just that: discrete experiments, not just `data collections'. As such, careful planning and consideration of potential pitfalls is required to enable a successful experiment. Here, some of the key factors that should be considered during the planning and execution of a time-resolved structural study are outlined, with a particular focus on synchrotron-based experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eike C. Schulz
- Institute for Nanostructure and Solid State Physics, Universität Hamburg, HARBOR, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Briony A. Yorke
- School of Chemistry and Bioscience, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, United Kingdom
| | - Arwen R. Pearson
- Institute for Nanostructure and Solid State Physics, Universität Hamburg, HARBOR, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, HARBOR, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Pedram Mehrabi
- Institute for Nanostructure and Solid State Physics, Universität Hamburg, HARBOR, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
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26
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Henneberg F, Chari A. Chromatography-Free Purification Strategies for Large Biological Macromolecular Complexes Involving Fractionated PEG Precipitation and Density Gradients. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:1289. [PMID: 34947821 PMCID: PMC8707722 DOI: 10.3390/life11121289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A complex interplay between several biological macromolecules maintains cellular homeostasis. Generally, the demanding chemical reactions which sustain life are not performed by individual macromolecules, but rather by several proteins that together form a macromolecular complex. Understanding the functional interactions amongst subunits of these macromolecular machines is fundamental to elucidate mechanisms by which they maintain homeostasis. As the faithful function of macromolecular complexes is essential for cell survival, their mis-function leads to the development of human diseases. Furthermore, detailed mechanistic interrogation of the function of macromolecular machines can be exploited to develop and optimize biotechnological processes. The purification of intact macromolecular complexes is an essential prerequisite for this; however, chromatographic purification schemes can induce the dissociation of subunits or the disintegration of the whole complex. Here, we discuss the development and application of chromatography-free purification strategies based on fractionated PEG precipitation and orthogonal density gradient centrifugation that overcomes existing limitations of established chromatographic purification protocols. The presented case studies illustrate the capabilities of these procedures for the purification of macromolecular complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Henneberg
- Department of Structural Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Ashwin Chari
- Department of Structural Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany;
- Research Group for Structural Biochemistry and Mechanisms, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
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27
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Stachowski TR, Snell ME, Snell EH. A SAXS-based approach to rationally evaluate radical scavengers - toward eliminating radiation damage in solution and crystallographic studies. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2021; 28:1309-1320. [PMID: 34475280 PMCID: PMC8415334 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577521004045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
X-ray-based techniques are a powerful tool in structural biology but the radiation-induced chemistry that results can be detrimental and may mask an accurate structural understanding. In the crystallographic case, cryocooling has been employed as a successful mitigation strategy but also has its limitations including the trapping of non-biological structural states. Crystallographic and solution studies performed at physiological temperatures can reveal otherwise hidden but relevant conformations, but are limited by their increased susceptibility to radiation damage. In this case, chemical additives that scavenge the species generated by radiation can mitigate damage but are not always successful and the mechanisms are often unclear. Using a protein designed to undergo a large-scale structural change from breakage of a disulfide bond, radiation damage can be monitored with small-angle X-ray scattering. Using this, we have quantitatively evaluated how three scavengers commonly used in crystallographic experiments - sodium nitrate, cysteine, and ascorbic acid - perform in solution at 10°C. Sodium nitrate was the most effective scavenger and completely inhibited fragmentation of the disulfide bond at a lower concentration (500 µM) compared with cysteine (∼5 mM) while ascorbic acid performed best at 5 mM but could only reduce fragmentation by ∼75% after a total accumulated dose of 792 Gy. The relative effectiveness of each scavenger matches their reported affinities for solvated electrons. Saturating concentrations of each scavenger shifted fragmentation from first order to a zeroth-order process, perhaps indicating the direct contribution of photoabsorption. The SAXS-based method can detect damage at X-ray doses far lower than those accessible crystallographically, thereby providing a detailed picture of scavenger processes. The solution results are also in close agreement with what is known about scavenger performance and mechanism in a crystallographic setting and suggest that a link can be made between the damage phenomenon in the two scenarios. Therefore, our engineered approach might provide a platform for more systematic and comprehensive screening of radioprotectants that can directly inform mitigation strategies for both solution and crystallographic experiments, while also clarifying fundamental radiation damage mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R. Stachowski
- Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, 700 Ellicott St, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
- Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, 665 Elm Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Mary E. Snell
- Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, 700 Ellicott St, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Edward H. Snell
- Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, 700 Ellicott St, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
- Materials Design and Innovation, State University at New York at Buffalo, 700 Ellicott St, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
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28
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Martiel I, Beale JH, Karpik A, Huang CY, Vera L, Olieric N, Wranik M, Tsai CJ, Mühle J, Aurelius O, John J, Högbom M, Wang M, Marsh M, Padeste C. Versatile microporous polymer-based supports for serial macromolecular crystallography. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2021; 77:1153-1167. [PMID: 34473086 PMCID: PMC8411977 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798321007324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Serial data collection has emerged as a major tool for data collection at state-of-the-art light sources, such as microfocus beamlines at synchrotrons and X-ray free-electron lasers. Challenging targets, characterized by small crystal sizes, weak diffraction and stringent dose limits, benefit most from these methods. Here, the use of a thin support made of a polymer-based membrane for performing serial data collection or screening experiments is demonstrated. It is shown that these supports are suitable for a wide range of protein crystals suspended in liquids. The supports have also proved to be applicable to challenging cases such as membrane proteins growing in the sponge phase. The sample-deposition method is simple and robust, as well as flexible and adaptable to a variety of cases. It results in an optimally thin specimen providing low background while maintaining minute amounts of mother liquor around the crystals. The 2 × 2 mm area enables the deposition of up to several microlitres of liquid. Imaging and visualization of the crystals are straightforward on the highly transparent membrane. Thanks to their affordable fabrication, these supports have the potential to become an attractive option for serial experiments at synchrotrons and free-electron lasers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Martiel
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - John H. Beale
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Agnieszka Karpik
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
- Institute of Polymer Nanotechnology (INKA), FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, 5210 Windisch, Switzerland
| | - Chia-Ying Huang
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Laura Vera
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Natacha Olieric
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Maximilian Wranik
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Ching-Ju Tsai
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Jonas Mühle
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Oskar Aurelius
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, Fotongatan 2, 224 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Juliane John
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Högbom
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Meitian Wang
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - May Marsh
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Celestino Padeste
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
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Abstract
Correlated motions in proteins arising from the collective movements of residues have long been proposed to be fundamentally important to key properties of proteins, from allostery and catalysis to evolvability. Recent breakthroughs in structural biology have made it possible to capture proteins undergoing complex conformational changes, yet intrinsic correlated motions within a conformation remain one of the least understood facets of protein structure. For many decades, the analysis of total X-ray scattering held the promise of animating crystal structures with correlated motions. With recent advances in both X-ray detectors and data interpretation methods, this long-held promise can now be met. In this Perspective, we will introduce how correlated motions are captured in total scattering and provide guidelines for the collection, interpretation, and validation of data. As structural biology continues to push the boundaries, we see an opportunity to gain atomistic insight into correlated motions using total scattering as a bridge between theory and experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Xu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, 259 East Avenue, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Steve P Meisburger
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, 259 East Avenue, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Nozomi Ando
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, 259 East Avenue, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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30
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Nam KH, Cho Y. Stable sample delivery in a viscous medium via a polyimide-based single-channel microfluidic chip for serial crystallography. J Appl Crystallogr 2021. [DOI: 10.1107/s1600576721005720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Serial crystallography (SX) provides room-temperature crystal structures with minimal radiation damage and facilitates the comprehension of molecular dynamics through time-resolved studies. In SX experiments, it is important to deliver a large number of crystal samples to the X-ray interaction point in a serial and stable manner. The advantage of crystal delivery in a viscous medium via a capillary is the ability to deliver all of the crystal samples to the X-ray interaction point at a low flow rate; however, the capillary often breaks during handling and high X-ray absorption can occur at low energy states. This study aimed to develop a stable system for sample delivery in a viscous medium via a polyimide-based single-channel microfluidic (PSM) chip for SX. Since this microfluidic chip comprises a polyimide film, it has high tensile strength and higher X-ray transmittance than a quartz capillary. The PSM chip was connected to a syringe containing the microcrystals embedded in viscous medium. The channel of the PSM chip was aligned to the X-ray path, and the viscous medium containing lysozyme crystals was stably delivered using a syringe pump at a flow rate of 100 nl min−1. Room-temperature lysozyme crystal structures were successfully determined at 1.85 Å resolution. This method would greatly facilitate sample delivery for SX experiments using synchrotron X-rays.
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31
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Lahey-Rudolph JM, Schönherr R, Barthelmess M, Fischer P, Seuring C, Wagner A, Meents A, Redecke L. Fixed-target serial femtosecond crystallography using in cellulo grown microcrystals. IUCRJ 2021; 8:665-677. [PMID: 34258014 PMCID: PMC8256716 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252521005297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The crystallization of recombinant proteins in living cells is an exciting new approach in structural biology. Recent success has highlighted the need for fast and efficient diffraction data collection, optimally directly exposing intact crystal-containing cells to the X-ray beam, thus protecting the in cellulo crystals from environmental challenges. Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) at free-electron lasers (XFELs) allows the collection of detectable diffraction even from tiny protein crystals, but requires very fast sample exchange to utilize each XFEL pulse. Here, an efficient approach is presented for high-resolution structure elucidation using serial femtosecond in cellulo diffraction of micometre-sized crystals of the protein HEX-1 from the fungus Neurospora crassa on a fixed target. Employing the fast and highly accurate Roadrunner II translation-stage system allowed efficient raster scanning of the pores of micro-patterned, single-crystalline silicon chips loaded with living, crystal-containing insect cells. Compared with liquid-jet and LCP injection systems, the increased hit rates of up to 30% and reduced background scattering enabled elucidation of the HEX-1 structure. Using diffraction data from only a single chip collected within 12 min at the Linac Coherent Light Source, a 1.8 Å resolution structure was obtained with significantly reduced sample consumption compared with previous SFX experiments using liquid-jet injection. This HEX-1 structure is almost superimposable with that previously determined using synchrotron radiation from single HEX-1 crystals grown by sitting-drop vapour diffusion, validating the approach. This study demonstrates that fixed-target SFX using micro-patterned silicon chips is ideally suited for efficient in cellulo diffraction data collection using living, crystal-containing cells, and offers huge potential for the straightforward structure elucidation of proteins that form intracellular crystals at both XFELs and synchrotron sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Mia Lahey-Rudolph
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Robert Schönherr
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Miriam Barthelmess
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Pontus Fischer
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carolin Seuring
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Center for Ultrafast Imaging, 22671 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Armin Wagner
- Diamond Light Source, Diamond House DH2-52, Chilton, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Alke Meents
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lars Redecke
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
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32
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Polyimide mesh-based sample holder with irregular crystal mounting holes for fixed-target serial crystallography. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13115. [PMID: 34162965 PMCID: PMC8222285 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92687-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The serial crystallography (SX) technique enables the determination of the room-temperature structure of a macromolecule while causing minimal radiation damage, as well as the visualization of the molecular dynamics by time-resolved studies. The fixed-target (FT) scanning approach is one method for SX sample delivery that minimizes sample consumption and minimizes physical damage to crystals during data collection. Settling of the crystals on the sample holder in random orientation is important for complete three dimensional data collection. To increase the random orientation of crystals on the sample holder, we developed a polyimide mesh-based sample holder with irregular crystal mounting holes for FT-SX. The polyimide mesh was fabricated using a picosecond laser. Each hole in the polyimide mesh has irregularly shaped holes because of laser thermal damage, which may cause more crystals to settle at random orientations compared to regular shaped sample holders. A crystal sample was spread onto a polyimide-mesh, and a polyimide film was added to both sides to prevent dehydration. Using this sample holder, FT-SX was performed at synchrotron and determined the room-temperature lysozyme structure at 1.65 Å. The polyimide mesh with irregularly shaped holes will allow for expanded applications in sample delivery for FT-SX experiments.
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Takala H, Edlund P, Ihalainen JA, Westenhoff S. Tips and turns of bacteriophytochrome photoactivation. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2021; 19:1488-1510. [PMID: 33107538 DOI: 10.1039/d0pp00117a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Phytochromes are ubiquitous photosensor proteins, which control the growth, reproduction and movement in plants, fungi and bacteria. Phytochromes switch between two photophysical states depending on the light conditions. In analogy to molecular machines, light absorption induces a series of structural changes that are transduced from the bilin chromophore, through the protein, and to the output domains. Recent progress towards understanding this structural mechanism of signal transduction has been manifold. We describe this progress with a focus on bacteriophytochromes. We describe the mechanism along three structural tiers, which are the chromophore-binding pocket, the photosensory module, and the output domains. We discuss possible interconnections between the tiers and conclude by presenting future directions and open questions. We hope that this review may serve as a compendium to guide future structural and spectroscopic studies designed to understand structural signaling in phytochromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heikki Takala
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyvaskyla, Box 35, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland. and Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Box 63, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Petra Edlund
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Box 462, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Janne A Ihalainen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyvaskyla, Box 35, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland.
| | - Sebastian Westenhoff
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Box 462, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Bücker R, Hogan-Lamarre P, Miller RJD. Serial Electron Diffraction Data Processing With diffractem and CrystFEL. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:624264. [PMID: 34095217 PMCID: PMC8171297 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.624264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Serial electron diffraction (SerialED) is an emerging technique, which applies the snapshot data-collection mode of serial X-ray crystallography to three-dimensional electron diffraction (3D Electron Diffraction), forgoing the conventional rotation method. Similarly to serial X-ray crystallography, this approach leads to almost complete absence of radiation damage effects even for the most sensitive samples, and allows for a high level of automation. However, SerialED also necessitates new techniques of data processing, which combine existing pipelines for rotation electron diffraction and serial X-ray crystallography with some more particular solutions for challenges arising in SerialED specifically. Here, we introduce our analysis pipeline for SerialED data, and its implementation using the CrystFEL and diffractem program packages. Detailed examples are provided in extensive supplementary code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Bücker
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Hamburg, Germany.,Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Pascal Hogan-Lamarre
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - R J Dwayne Miller
- Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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35
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Protein Dynamics and Time Resolved Protein Crystallography at Synchrotron Radiation Sources: Past, Present and Future. CRYSTALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst11050521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The ultrabright and ultrashort pulses produced at X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) has enabled studies of crystallized molecular machines at work under ‘native’ conditions at room temperature by the so-called time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (TR-SFX) technique. Since early TR-SFX experiments were conducted at XFELs, it has been largely reported in the literature that time-resolved X-ray experiments at synchrotrons are no longer feasible or are impractical due to the severe technical limitations of these radiation sources. The transfer of the serial crystallography approach to newest synchrotrons upgraded for higher flux density and with beamlines using sophisticated focusing optics, submicron beam diameters and fast low-noise photon-counting detectors offers a way to overcome these difficulties opening new and exciting possibilities. In fact, there is an increasing amount of publications reporting new findings in structural dynamics of protein macromolecules by using time resolved crystallography from microcrystals at synchrotron sources. This review gathers information to provide an overview of the recent work and the advances made in this filed in the past years, as well as outlines future perspectives at the next generation of synchrotron sources and the upcoming compact pulsed X-ray sources.
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36
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Hasegawa K, Baba S, Kawamura T, Yamamoto M, Kumasaka T. Evaluation of the data-collection strategy for room-temperature micro-crystallography studied by serial synchrotron rotation crystallography combined with the humid air and glue-coating method. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2021; 77:300-312. [PMID: 33645534 PMCID: PMC7919407 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798321001686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Synchrotron serial crystallography (SSX) is an emerging data-collection method for micro-crystallography on synchrotron macromolecular (MX) crystallography beamlines. At SPring-8, the feasibility of the fixed-target approach was examined by collecting data using a 2D raster scan combined with goniometer rotation. Results at cryogenic temperatures demonstrated that rotation is effective for efficient data collection in SSX and the method was named serial synchrotron rotation crystallography (SS-ROX). To use this method for room-temperature (RT) data collection, a humid air and glue-coating (HAG) method was developed in which data were collected from polyvinyl alcohol-coated microcrystals fixed on a loop under humidity-controlled air. The performance and the RT data-collection strategy for micro-crystallography were evaluated using microcrystals of lysozyme. Although a change in unit-cell dimensions of up to 1% was observed during data collection, the impact on data quality was marginal. A comparison of data obtained at various absorbed doses revealed that absorbed doses of up to 210 kGy were tolerable in both global and local damage. Although this limits the number of photons deposited on each crystal, increasing the number of merged images improved the resolution. On the basis of these results, an equation was proposed that relates the achievable resolution to the total photon flux used to obtain a data set.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuya Hasegawa
- Protein Crystal Analysis Division, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
| | - Seiki Baba
- Protein Crystal Analysis Division, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
| | - Takashi Kawamura
- Protein Crystal Analysis Division, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
| | - Masaki Yamamoto
- Advanced Photon Technology Division, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Takashi Kumasaka
- Protein Crystal Analysis Division, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
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Mehrabi P, Bücker R, Bourenkov G, Ginn HM, von Stetten D, Müller-Werkmeister HM, Kuo A, Morizumi T, Eger BT, Ou WL, Oghbaey S, Sarracini A, Besaw JE, Pare-Labrosse O, Meier S, Schikora H, Tellkamp F, Marx A, Sherrell DA, Axford D, Owen RL, Ernst OP, Pai EF, Schulz EC, Miller RJD. Serial femtosecond and serial synchrotron crystallography can yield data of equivalent quality: A systematic comparison. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/12/eabf1380. [PMID: 33731353 PMCID: PMC7968842 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf1380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
For the two proteins myoglobin and fluoroacetate dehalogenase, we present a systematic comparison of crystallographic diffraction data collected by serial femtosecond (SFX) and serial synchrotron crystallography (SSX). To maximize comparability, we used the same batch of micron-sized crystals, the same sample delivery device, and the same data analysis software. Overall figures of merit indicate that the data of both radiation sources are of equivalent quality. For both proteins, reasonable data statistics can be obtained with approximately 5000 room-temperature diffraction images irrespective of the radiation source. The direct comparability of SSX and SFX data indicates that the quality of diffraction data obtained from these samples is linked to the properties of the crystals rather than to the radiation source. Therefore, for other systems with similar properties, time-resolved experiments can be conducted at the radiation source that best matches the desired time resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Mehrabi
- Department for Atomically Resolved Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute, Ontario Cancer Institute, 101 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - R Bücker
- Department for Atomically Resolved Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - G Bourenkov
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Outstation c/o Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, D-22603 Hamburg, Germany
| | - H M Ginn
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - D von Stetten
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Outstation c/o Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, D-22603 Hamburg, Germany
| | - H M Müller-Werkmeister
- Institute of Chemistry-Physical Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - A Kuo
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - T Morizumi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - B T Eger
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - W-L Ou
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - S Oghbaey
- Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - A Sarracini
- Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - J E Besaw
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
- Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - O Pare-Labrosse
- Department for Atomically Resolved Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - S Meier
- Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 9, 20355 Hamburg, Germany
| | - H Schikora
- Scientific Support Unit Machine Physics, Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - F Tellkamp
- Scientific Support Unit Machine Physics, Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - A Marx
- Department for Atomically Resolved Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - D A Sherrell
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA
| | - D Axford
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - R L Owen
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - O P Ernst
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - E F Pai
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute, Ontario Cancer Institute, 101 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - E C Schulz
- Department for Atomically Resolved Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany.
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - R J D Miller
- Department for Atomically Resolved Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada
- Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 9, 20355 Hamburg, Germany
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Beyond X-rays: an overview of emerging structural biology methods. Emerg Top Life Sci 2021; 5:221-230. [DOI: 10.1042/etls20200272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Structural biologists rely on X-ray crystallography as the main technique for determining the three-dimensional structures of macromolecules; however, in recent years, new methods that go beyond X-ray-based technologies are broadening the selection of tools to understand molecular structure and function. Simultaneously, national facilities are developing programming tools and maintaining personnel to aid novice structural biologists in de novo structure determination. The combination of X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) and serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) now enable time-resolved structure determination that allows for capture of dynamic processes, such as reaction mechanism and conformational flexibility. XFEL and SFX, along with microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED), help side-step the need for large crystals for structural studies. Moreover, advances in cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) as a tool for structure determination is revolutionizing how difficult to crystallize macromolecules and/or complexes can be visualized at the atomic scale. This review aims to provide a broad overview of these new methods and to guide readers to more in-depth literature of these methods.
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39
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Analysis of Multi-Hit Crystals in Serial Synchrotron Crystallography Experiments Using High-Viscosity Injectors. CRYSTALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst11010049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Serial Synchrotron Crystallography (SSX) is rapidly emerging as a promising technique for collecting data for time-resolved structural studies or for performing room temperature micro-crystallography measurements using micro-focused beamlines. SSX is often performed using high frame rate detectors in combination with continuous sample scanning or high-viscosity or liquid jet injectors. When performed using ultra-bright X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) sources serial crystallography typically involves a process known as ’diffract-and-destroy’ where each crystal is measured just once before it is destroyed by the intense XFEL pulse. In SSX, however, particularly when using high-viscosity injectors (HVIs) such as Lipidico, the crystal can be intercepted multiple times by the X-ray beam prior to exiting the interaction region. This has a number of important consequences for SSX including whether these multiple-hits can be incorporated into the data analysis or whether they need to be excluded due to the potential impact of radiation damage. Here, we investigate the occurrence and characteristics of multiple hits on single crystals using SSX with lipidico. SSX data are collected from crystals as they tumble within a high viscous stream of silicone grease flowing through a micro-focused X-ray beam. We confirmed that, using the Eiger 16M, we are able to collect up to 42 frames of data from the same single crystal prior to it leaving the X-ray interaction region. The frequency and occurrence of multiple hits may be controlled by varying the sample flow rate and X-ray beam size. Calculations of the absorbed dose confirm that these crystals are likely to undergo radiation damage but that nonetheless incorporating multiple hits into damage-free data should lead to a significant reduction in the number of crystals required for structural analysis when compared to just looking at a single diffraction pattern from each crystal.
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40
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Abstract
X-ray crystallography enables detailed structural studies of proteins to understand and modulate their function. Conducting crystallographic experiments at cryogenic temperatures has practical benefits but potentially limits the identification of functionally important alternative protein conformations that can be revealed only at room temperature (RT). This review discusses practical aspects of preparing, acquiring, and analyzing X-ray crystallography data at RT to demystify preconceived impracticalities that freeze progress of routine RT data collection at synchrotron sources. Examples are presented as conceptual and experimental templates to enable the design of RT-inspired studies; they illustrate the diversity and utility of gaining novel insights into protein conformational landscapes. An integrative view of protein conformational dynamics enables opportunities to advance basic and biomedical research.
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41
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Zhu L, Chen X, Abola EE, Jing L, Liu W. Serial Crystallography for Structure-Based Drug Discovery. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2020; 41:830-839. [PMID: 32950259 PMCID: PMC7572805 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2020.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Rational drug discovery has greatly accelerated the development of safer and more efficacious therapeutics, assisted significantly by insights from experimentally determined 3D structures of ligands in complex with their targets. Serial crystallography (SX) with X-ray free-electron lasers has enabled structural determination using micrometer- or nanometer-size crystals. This technology, applied in the past decade to solve structures of notoriously difficult-to-study drug targets at room temperature, has now been adapted for use in synchrotron radiation facilities. Ultrashort time scales allow time-resolved characterization of dynamic structural changes and pave the road to study the molecular mechanisms by 'molecular movie.' This article summarizes the latest progress in SX technology and deliberates its demanding applications in future structure-based drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Zhu
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Enrique E Abola
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Liang Jing
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Wei Liu
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
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Martiel I, Huang CY, Villanueva-Perez P, Panepucci E, Basu S, Caffrey M, Pedrini B, Bunk O, Stampanoni M, Wang M. Low-dose in situ prelocation of protein microcrystals by 2D X-ray phase-contrast imaging for serial crystallography. IUCRJ 2020; 7:1131-1141. [PMID: 33209324 PMCID: PMC7642777 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252520013238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Serial protein crystallography has emerged as a powerful method of data collection on small crystals from challenging targets, such as membrane proteins. Multiple microcrystals need to be located on large and often flat mounts while exposing them to an X-ray dose that is as low as possible. A crystal-prelocation method is demonstrated here using low-dose 2D full-field propagation-based X-ray phase-contrast imaging at the X-ray imaging beamline TOMCAT at the Swiss Light Source (SLS). This imaging step provides microcrystal coordinates for automated serial data collection at a microfocus macromolecular crystallography beamline on samples with an essentially flat geometry. This prelocation method was applied to microcrystals of a soluble protein and a membrane protein, grown in a commonly used double-sandwich in situ crystallization plate. The inner sandwiches of thin plastic film enclosing the microcrystals in lipid cubic phase were flash cooled and imaged at TOMCAT. Based on the obtained crystal coordinates, both still and rotation wedge serial data were collected automatically at the SLS PXI beamline, yielding in both cases a high indexing rate. This workflow can be easily implemented at many synchrotron facilities using existing equipment, or potentially integrated as an online technique in the next-generation macromolecular crystallography beamline, and thus benefit a number of dose-sensitive challenging protein targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Martiel
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
| | - Chia-Ying Huang
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
| | - Pablo Villanueva-Perez
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
- Synchrotron Radiation Research and NanoLund, Lund University, Box 118, Lund, 221 00, Sweden
| | - Ezequiel Panepucci
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
| | - Shibom Basu
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
- EMBL Grenoble, 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble, 38042, France
| | - Martin Caffrey
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College, Dublin 2, D02 R590, Ireland
| | - Bill Pedrini
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Bunk
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
| | - Marco Stampanoni
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Meitian Wang
- Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
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43
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Ren Z, Wang C, Shin H, Bandara S, Kumarapperuma I, Ren MY, Kang W, Yang X. An automated platform for in situ serial crystallography at room temperature. IUCRJ 2020; 7:1009-1018. [PMID: 33209315 PMCID: PMC7642789 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252520011288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Direct observation of functional motions in protein structures is highly desirable for understanding how these nanomachineries of life operate at the molecular level. Because cryogenic temperatures are non-physiological and may prohibit or even alter protein structural dynamics, it is necessary to develop robust X-ray diffraction methods that enable routine data collection at room temperature. We recently reported a crystal-on-crystal device to facilitate in situ diffraction of protein crystals at room temperature devoid of any sample manipulation. Here an automated serial crystallography platform based on this crystal-on-crystal technology is presented. A hardware and software prototype has been implemented, and protocols have been established that allow users to image, recognize and rank hundreds to thousands of protein crystals grown on a chip in optical scanning mode prior to serial introduction of these crystals to an X-ray beam in a programmable and high-throughput manner. This platform has been tested extensively using fragile protein crystals. We demonstrate that with affordable sample consumption, this in situ serial crystallography technology could give rise to room-temperature protein structures of higher resolution and superior map quality for those protein crystals that encounter difficulties during freezing. This serial data collection platform is compatible with both monochromatic oscillation and Laue methods for X-ray diffraction and presents a widely applicable approach for static and dynamic crystallographic studies at room temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong Ren
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
- Renz Research, Inc., Westmont, IL 60559, USA
| | - Cong Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Heewhan Shin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Sepalika Bandara
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Indika Kumarapperuma
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Michael Y. Ren
- A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Weijia Kang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Xiaojing Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
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44
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Zhao FZ, Sun B, Yu L, Xiao QJ, Wang ZJ, Chen LL, Liang H, Wang QS, He JH, Yin DC. A novel sample delivery system based on circular motion for in situ serial synchrotron crystallography. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:3888-3898. [PMID: 32966481 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00443j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A sample delivery system is one of the key parts of serial crystallography. It is the main limiting factor affecting the application of serial crystallography. At present, although a variety of useful sample delivery systems have been developed for serial crystallography, it still remains the focus of the field to further improve the performance and efficiency of sample delivery. In existing sample delivery technologies, samples are usually delivered in linear motion. Here we show that the samples can also be delivered using circular motion, which is a novel motion mode never tested before. In this paper, we report a microfluidic rotating-target sample delivery device, which is characterized by the circular motion of the samples, and verify the performance of the device at a synchrotron radiation facility. The microfluidic rotating-target sample delivery device consists of two parts: a microfluidic sample plate and a motion control system. Sample delivery is realized by rotating the microfluidic sample plate containing in situ grown crystals. This device offers significant advantages, including a very wide adjustable range of delivery speed, low background noise, and low sample consumption. Using the microfluidic rotating-target device, we carried out in situ serial crystallography experiments with lysozyme and proteinase K as model samples at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, and performed structural determination based on the serial crystallographic data. The results showed that the designed device is fully compatible with the synchrotron radiation facility, and the structure determination of proteins is successful using the serial crystallographic data obtained with the device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Zhu Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Bo Sun
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Yu
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qing-Jie Xiao
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhi-Jun Wang
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Liang-Liang Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Huan Liang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Qi-Sheng Wang
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Hua He
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China. and The Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Da-Chuan Yin
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China. and Shenzhen Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shenzhen, China
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Abstract
Radiation damage and cryogenic sample environment are an experimental limitation observed in the traditional X-ray crystallography technique. However, the serial crystallography (SX) technique not only helps to determine structures at room temperature with minimal radiation damage, but it is also a useful tool for profound understanding of macromolecules. Moreover, it is a new tool for time-resolved studies. Over the past 10 years, various sample delivery techniques and data collection strategies have been developed in the SX field. It also has a wide range of applications in instruments ranging from the X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) facility to synchrotrons. The importance of the various approaches in terms of the experimental techniques and a brief review of the research carried out in the field of SX has been highlighted in this editorial.
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Fixed-Target Serial Synchrotron Crystallography Using Nylon Mesh and Enclosed Film-Based Sample Holder. CRYSTALS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst10090803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Serial crystallography (SX) technique using synchrotron X-ray allows the visualization of room-temperature crystal structures with low-dose data collection as well as time-resolved molecular dynamics. In an SX experiment, delivery of numerous crystals for X-ray interaction, in a serial manner, is very important. Fixed-target scanning approach has the advantage of dramatically minimizing sample consumption as well as any physical damage to crystal sample, compared to other sample delivery methods. Here, we introduce the simple approach of fixed-target serial synchrotron crystallography (FT-SSX) using nylon mesh and enclosed film (NAM)-based sample holder. The NAM-based sample holder consisted of X-ray-transparent nylon-mesh and polyimide film, attached to a magnetic base. This sample holder was mounted to a goniometer head on macromolecular crystallography beamline, and translated along vertical and horizontal directions for raster scanning by the goniometer. Diffraction data were collected in two raster scanning approaches: (i) 100 ms X-ray exposure and 0.011° oscillation at each scan point and (ii) 500 ms X-ray exposure and 0.222° oscillation at each scan point. Using this approach, we determined the room-temperature crystal structures of lysozyme and glucose isomerase at 1.5–2.0 Å resolution. The sample holder produced negligible X-ray background scattering for data processing. Therefore, the new approach provided an opportunity to perform FT-SSX with high accessibility using macromolecular crystallography beamlines at synchrotron without any special equipment.
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Maeki M, Ito S, Takeda R, Ueno G, Ishida A, Tani H, Yamamoto M, Tokeshi M. Room-temperature crystallography using a microfluidic protein crystal array device and its application to protein-ligand complex structure analysis. Chem Sci 2020; 11:9072-9087. [PMID: 34094189 PMCID: PMC8162031 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc02117b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Room-temperature (RT) protein crystallography provides significant information to elucidate protein function under physiological conditions. In particular, contrary to typical binding assays, X-ray crystal structure analysis of a protein–ligand complex can determine the three-dimensional (3D) configuration of its binding site. This allows the development of effective drugs by structure-based and fragment-based (FBDD) drug design. However, RT crystallography and RT crystallography-based protein–ligand complex analyses require the preparation and measurement of numerous crystals to avoid the X-ray radiation damage. Thus, for the application of RT crystallography to protein–ligand complex analysis, the simultaneous preparation of protein–ligand complex crystals and sequential X-ray diffraction measurement remain challenging. Here, we report an RT crystallography technique using a microfluidic protein crystal array device for protein–ligand complex structure analysis. We demonstrate the microfluidic sorting of protein crystals into microwells without any complicated procedures and apparatus, whereby the sorted protein crystals are fixed into microwells and sequentially measured to collect X-ray diffraction data. This is followed by automatic data processing to calculate the 3D protein structure. The microfluidic device allows the high-throughput preparation of the protein–ligand complex solely by the replacement of the microchannel content with the required ligand solution. We determined eight trypsin–ligand complex structures for the proof of concept experiment and found differences in the ligand coordination of the corresponding RT and conventional cryogenic structures. This methodology can be applied to easily obtain more natural structures. Moreover, drug development by FBDD could be more effective using the proposed methodology. Room temperature protein crystallography and its application to protein–ligand complex structure analysis was demonstrated using a microfluidic protein crystal array device.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Masatoshi Maeki
- Division of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku Sapporo 060-8628 Japan +81-11-706-6745 +81-11-706-6745 +81-11-706-6744.,RIKEN SPring-8 Center 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho Sayo-gun Hyogo 679-5148 Japan
| | - Sho Ito
- Graduate School of Life Science, University of Hyogo 3-2-1 Kouto, Kamigori Ako Hyogo 678-1297 Japan.,ROD (Single Crystal Analysis) Group, Application Laboratories, Rigaku Corporation 3-9-12 Matubara-cho Akishima Tokyo 196-8666 Japan
| | - Reo Takeda
- Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku Sapporo 060-8628 Japan
| | - Go Ueno
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho Sayo-gun Hyogo 679-5148 Japan
| | - Akihiko Ishida
- Division of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku Sapporo 060-8628 Japan +81-11-706-6745 +81-11-706-6745 +81-11-706-6744
| | - Hirofumi Tani
- Division of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku Sapporo 060-8628 Japan +81-11-706-6745 +81-11-706-6745 +81-11-706-6744
| | - Masaki Yamamoto
- RIKEN SPring-8 Center 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho Sayo-gun Hyogo 679-5148 Japan.,Graduate School of Life Science, University of Hyogo 3-2-1 Kouto, Kamigori Ako Hyogo 678-1297 Japan
| | - Manabu Tokeshi
- Division of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku Sapporo 060-8628 Japan +81-11-706-6745 +81-11-706-6745 +81-11-706-6744
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Nam KH. Lard Injection Matrix for Serial Crystallography. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21175977. [PMID: 32825186 PMCID: PMC7504126 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21175977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Serial crystallography (SX) using X-ray free electron laser or synchrotron X-ray allows for the determination of structures, at room temperature, with reduced radiation damage. Moreover, it allows for the study of structural dynamics of macromolecules using a time-resolved pump-probe, as well as mix-and-inject experiments. Delivering a crystal sample using a viscous medium decreases sample consumption by lowering the flow rate while being extruded from the injector or syringe as compared to a liquid jet injector. Since the environment of crystal samples varies, continuous development of the delivery medium is important for extended SX applications. Herein, I report the preparation and characterization of a lard-based sample delivery medium for SX. This material was obtained using heat treatment, and then the soluble impurities were removed through phase separation. The lard injection medium was highly stable and could be injected via a syringe needle extruded at room temperature with a flow rate < 200 nL/min. Serial millisecond crystallography experiments were performed using lard, and the room temperature structures of lysozyme and glucose isomerase embedded in lard at 1.75 and 1.80 Å, respectively, were determined. The lard medium showed X-ray background scattering similar or relatively lower than shortenings and lipidic cubic phase; therefore, it can be used as sample delivery medium in SX experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Hyun Nam
- Department of Life Science, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
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Lee K, Lee D, Baek S, Park J, Lee SJ, Park S, Chung WK, Lee JL, Cho HS, Cho Y, Nam KH. Viscous-medium-based crystal support in a sample holder for fixed-target serial femtosecond crystallography. J Appl Crystallogr 2020. [DOI: 10.1107/s1600576720008663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) enables the determination of the room-temperature crystal structure of macromolecules, as well as providing time-resolved molecular dynamics data in pump–probe experiments. Fixed-target SFX (FT-SFX) can minimize sample consumption and physical effects on crystals during sample delivery. In FT-SFX studies, having a sample holder that can stably fix crystal samples is one of the key elements required for efficient data collection. Hence, development of sample holders from new materials capable of supporting various crystal sizes and shapes may expand the applications of FT-SFX. Here, a viscous-media-based crystal support in a sample holder for FT-SFX is introduced. Crystal samples were embedded in viscous media, namely gelatin and agarose, which were enclosed in a polyimide film. In the vertically placed sample holder, 10–15%(w/v) viscous gelatin and 1–4%(w/v) agarose gel stably supported crystals between two polyimide films, thereby preventing the crystals from descending owing to gravity. Using this method, FT-SFX experiments were performed with glucose isomerase and lysozyme embedded in gelatin and agarose, respectively. The room-temperature crystal structures of glucose isomerase and lysozyme were successfully determined at 1.75 and 1.80 Å resolutions, respectively. The glucose isomerase and lysozyme diffraction analyses were not impeded by excessive background scattering from the viscous media. This method is useful for delivering crystal samples of various sizes and shapes in FT-SFX experiments.
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50
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Thompson MC, Yeates TO, Rodriguez JA. Advances in methods for atomic resolution macromolecular structure determination. F1000Res 2020; 9:F1000 Faculty Rev-667. [PMID: 32676184 PMCID: PMC7333361 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.25097.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent technical advances have dramatically increased the power and scope of structural biology. New developments in high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy, serial X-ray crystallography, and electron diffraction have been especially transformative. Here we highlight some of the latest advances and current challenges at the frontiers of atomic resolution methods for elucidating the structures and dynamical properties of macromolecules and their complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C. Thompson
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Todd O. Yeates
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jose A. Rodriguez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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