Starodub D, Aquila A, Bajt S, Barthelmess M, Barty A, Bostedt C, Bozek JD, Coppola N, Doak RB, Epp SW, Erk B, Foucar L, Gumprecht L, Hampton CY, Hartmann A, Hartmann R, Holl P, Kassemeyer S, Kimmel N, Laksmono H, Liang M, Loh ND, Lomb L, Martin AV, Nass K, Reich C, Rolles D, Rudek B, Rudenko A, Schulz J, Shoeman RL, Sierra RG, Soltau H, Steinbrener J, Stellato F, Stern S, Weidenspointner G, Frank M, Ullrich J, Strüder L, Schlichting I, Chapman HN, Spence JCH, Bogan MJ. Single-particle structure determination by correlations of snapshot X-ray diffraction patterns.
Nat Commun 2013;
3:1276. [PMID:
23232406 DOI:
10.1038/ncomms2288]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2012] [Accepted: 11/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffractive imaging with free-electron lasers allows structure determination from ensembles of weakly scattering identical nanoparticles. The ultra-short, ultra-bright X-ray pulses provide snapshots of the randomly oriented particles frozen in time, and terminate before the onset of structural damage. As signal strength diminishes for small particles, the synthesis of a three-dimensional diffraction volume requires simultaneous involvement of all data. Here we report the first application of a three-dimensional spatial frequency correlation analysis to carry out this synthesis from noisy single-particle femtosecond X-ray diffraction patterns of nearly identical samples in random and unknown orientations, collected at the Linac Coherent Light Source. Our demonstration uses unsupported test particles created via aerosol self-assembly, and composed of two polystyrene spheres of equal diameter. The correlation analysis avoids the need for orientation determination entirely. This method may be applied to the structural determination of biological macromolecules in solution.
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