Low- Z polymer sample supports for fixed-target serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography
Category
Published on
Type
journal-article
Author
Geoffrey K. Feld and Michael Heymann and W. Henry Benner and Tommaso Pardini and Ching-Ju Tsai and Sébastien Boutet and Matthew A. Coleman and Mark S. Hunter and Xiaodan Li and Marc Messerschmidt and Achini Opathalage and Bill Pedrini and Garth J. Williams and Bryan A. Krantz and Seth Fraden and Stefan Hau-Riege and James E. Evans and Brent W. Segelke and Matthias Frank
Citation
Feld, G.K. et al., 2015. Low- Z polymer sample supports for fixed-target serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography . J Appl Crystallogr, 48(4), pp.1072–1079. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1107/s1600576715010493.
Abstract
X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) offer a new avenue to the structural probing of complex materials, including biomolecules. Delivery of precious sample to the XFEL beam is a key consideration, as the sample of interest must be serially replaced after each destructive pulse. The fixed-target approach to sample delivery involves depositing samples on a thin-film support and subsequent serial introductionviaa translating stage. Some classes of biological materials, including two-dimensional protein crystals, must be introduced on fixed-target supports, as they require a flat surface to prevent sample wrinkling. A series of wafer and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)-style grid supports constructed of low-Zplastic have been custom-designed and produced. Aluminium TEM grid holders were engineered, capable of delivering up to 20 different conventional or plastic TEM grids using fixed-target stages available at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). As proof-of-principle, X-ray diffraction has been demonstrated from two-dimensional crystals of bacteriorhodopsin and three-dimensional crystals of anthrax toxin protective antigen mounted on these supports at the LCLS. The benefits and limitations of these low-Zfixed-target supports are discussed; it is the authors' belief that they represent a viable and efficient alternative to previously reported fixed-target supports for conducting diffraction studies with XFELs.
