Experimental facilities for macromolecular crystallography at Diamond Light Source

Authors: Ralf Flaig (Diamond Light Source) , Alun Ashton (Diamond Light Source) , Danny Axford (Diamond Light Source) , Jose Brandao-Neto (Diamond Light Source) , Alice Douangamath (Diamond Light Source) , Liz Duke (Diamond Light Source) , Gwyndaf Evans (Diamond Light Source) , Dave Hall (Diamond Light Source) , Katherine Mcauley (Diamond Light Source) , James Nicholson (Diamond Light Source) , Robin Owen (Diamond Light Source) , Pierpaolo Romano (Diamond Light Source) , James Sandy (Diamond Light Source) , Juan Sanchez-Weatherby (Diamond Light Source) , Thomas Sorensen (Diamond Light Source) , Mark Williams (Diamond Light Source) , Graeme Winter (Diamond Light Source)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Conference Paper
Conference: DGK2012
Peer Reviewed: No

State: Published (Approved)
Published: March 2012

Abstract: Diamond Light Source [1] is the UK third generation synchrotron facility located south of Oxford. In the first Phase the structural biology community was served by the macromolecular crystallography (MX) beamlines I02, I03 and I04 starting with the user programme in early 2007. These widely tuneable (5-25 keV) SAD/MAD beamlines were complemented in Phase 2 with a MAD capable microfocus beamline I24 (7-25 keV) and a fixed-wavelength high-throughput station I04-1 (13.53 keV). In Phase 3 the long wavelength beamline I23 (3-12 keV), which is in the planning and construction stage, will complement the MX beamline portfolio [2]. In order to adapt to the future scientific requirements of the structural biology community and to increase efficiency, various areas of the beamlines are being improved and new techniques explored. The automation system is constantly being improved, including a quicker sample exchange with the sample transfer robot and automatic loop finding and centering procedures. All beamlines can now also be fully operated remotely. Three beamlines (I03, I04-1, I24) are now equipped with fast Pilatus detectors and it is planned to provide the other beamlines with fast detector systems as well. This leads to an increase in efficiency and throughput and allows for new methods like faster grid scans for locating hardly visible samples or to find the best area of a larger sample. Data collection strategies and crystal and diffraction image characterization are provided automatically. Very shortly after the data collection has finished the results from our automatic data processing pipeline are available and this extends now to the generation of difference electron density maps if a suitable PDB file is provided. More recently, an upgrade programme for the experimental end-stations of the Phase 1 MX beamlines (I02, I03, I04) has been initiated and is nearing completion. The completely new design allows for an easier change between experiments at cryo or room temperature or a humidity controlled setup. In-situ screening of crystallization plates is also actively being developed on all beamlines. Beam delivery to the Phase 1 beamlines will be with a refurbished bimorph KB mirror system providing typical beam sizes of 80 μm x 20 μm over the complete energy range. Furthermore, the new end-station is also equipped with two sets of compound refractive lenses (CRL) providing a beam size of 8 x 2 microns, thus enabling microfocus and standard beam size work easily on the same beamline. The implementation of a mini kappa goniometer head is being developed which will allow for more sophisticated data collection strategies. Some new developments and preliminary results will be discussed. Use of the Diamond MX beamlines has resulted in the deposition of 731 structures to the PDB so far and productivity has increased since the start of operation.

Subject Areas: Biology and Bio-materials


Technical Areas: Accelerator Physics

Added On: 05/10/2015 19:09

Discipline Tags:

Structural biology Life Sciences & Biotech

Technical Tags: