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Thompson AJ, Sanchez-Weatherby J, Williams LJ, Mikolajek H, Sandy J, Worrall JAR, Hough MA. Efficient in situ screening of and data collection from microcrystals in crystallization plates. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2024; 80:279-288. [PMID: 38488731 PMCID: PMC10994175 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798324001955] [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: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
A considerable bottleneck in serial crystallography at XFEL and synchrotron sources is the efficient production of large quantities of homogenous, well diffracting microcrystals. Efficient high-throughput screening of batch-grown microcrystals and the determination of ground-state structures from different conditions is thus of considerable value in the early stages of a project. Here, a highly sample-efficient methodology to measure serial crystallography data from microcrystals by raster scanning within standard in situ 96-well crystallization plates is described. Structures were determined from very small quantities of microcrystal suspension and the results were compared with those from other sample-delivery methods. The analysis of a two-dimensional batch crystallization screen using this method is also described as a useful guide for further optimization and the selection of appropriate conditions for scaling up microcrystallization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy J. Thompson
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Juan Sanchez-Weatherby
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Lewis J. Williams
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
| | - Halina Mikolajek
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - James Sandy
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan A. R. Worrall
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
| | - Michael A. Hough
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
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2
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Hadian-Jazi M, Sadri A. A Python package based on robust statistical analysis for serial crystallography data processing. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2023; 79:820-829. [PMID: 37584428 PMCID: PMC10478633 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798323005855] [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: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The term robustness in statistics refers to methods that are generally insensitive to deviations from model assumptions. In other words, robust methods are able to preserve their accuracy even when the data do not perfectly fit the statistical models. Robust statistical analyses are particularly effective when analysing mixtures of probability distributions. Therefore, these methods enable the discretization of X-ray serial crystallography data into two probability distributions: a group comprising true data points (for example the background intensities) and another group comprising outliers (for example Bragg peaks or bad pixels on an X-ray detector). These characteristics of robust statistical analysis are beneficial for the ever-increasing volume of serial crystallography (SX) data sets produced at synchrotron and X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) sources. The key advantage of the use of robust statistics for some applications in SX data analysis is that it requires minimal parameter tuning because of its insensitivity to the input parameters. In this paper, a software package called Robust Gaussian Fitting library (RGFlib) is introduced that is based on the concept of robust statistics. Two methods are presented based on the concept of robust statistics and RGFlib for two SX data-analysis tasks: (i) a robust peak-finding algorithm and (ii) an automated robust method to detect bad pixels on X-ray pixel detectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjan Hadian-Jazi
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Alireza Sadri
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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3
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Makita H, Zhang M, Yano J, Kern J. Room temperature crystallography and X-ray spectroscopy of metalloenzymes. Methods Enzymol 2023; 688:307-348. [PMID: 37748830 PMCID: PMC10799221 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.07.009] [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] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The ultrashort (10s of femtoseconds) X-ray pulses generated by X-ray free electron lasers enable the measurement of X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic data from radiation-sensitive metalloenzymes at room temperature while mostly avoiding the effects of radiation damage usually encountered when performing such experiments at synchrotron sources. Here we discuss an approach to measure both X-ray emission and X-ray crystallographic data at the same time from the same sample volume. The droplet-on-tape setup described allows for efficient sample use and the integration of different reaction triggering options in order to conduct time-resolved studies with limited sample amounts. The approach is illustrated by two examples, photosystem II that catalyzes the light-driven oxidation of water to oxygen, and isopenicillin N synthase, an enzyme that catalyzes the double ring cyclization of a tripeptide precursor into the β-lactam isopenicillin and can be activated by oxygen exposure. We describe the necessary steps to obtain microcrystals of both proteins as well as the operation procedure for the drop-on-tape setup and details of the data acquisition and processing involved in this experiment. At the end, we present how the combination of time-resolved X-ray emission spectra and diffraction data can be used to improve the knowledge about the enzyme reaction mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Makita
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Miao Zhang
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Junko Yano
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States.
| | - Jan Kern
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States.
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4
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Marinaro G, Graceffa R, Riekel C. Wall-free droplet microfluidics for probing biological processes by high-brilliance X-ray scattering techniques. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1049327. [DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1049327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we review probing biological processes initiated by the deposition of droplets on surfaces by micro- and nanobeam X-ray scattering techniques using synchrotron radiation and X-ray free-electron laser sources. We review probing droplet evaporation on superhydrophobic surfaces and reactions with substrates, basics of droplets deposition and flow simulations, droplet deposition techniques and practical experience at a synchrotron beamline. Selected applications with biological relevance will be reviewed and perspectives for the latest generation of high-brilliance X-ray sources discussed.
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5
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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: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [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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6
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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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7
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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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8
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Dynamic Structural Biology Experiments at XFEL or Synchrotron Sources. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2305:203-228. [PMID: 33950392 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1406-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Macromolecular crystallography (MX) leverages the methods of physics and the language of chemistry to reveal fundamental insights into biology. Often beautifully artistic images present MX results to support profound functional hypotheses that are vital to entire life science research community. Over the past several decades, synchrotrons around the world have been the workhorses for X-ray diffraction data collection at many highly automated beamlines. The newest tools include X-ray-free electron lasers (XFELs) located at facilities in the USA, Japan, Korea, Switzerland, and Germany that deliver about nine orders of magnitude higher brightness in discrete femtosecond long pulses. At each of these facilities, new serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) strategies exploit slurries of micron-size crystals by rapidly delivering individual crystals into the XFEL X-ray interaction region, from which one diffraction pattern is collected per crystal before it is destroyed by the intense X-ray pulse. Relatively simple adaptions to SFX methods produce time-resolved data collection strategies wherein reactions are triggered by visible light illumination or by chemical diffusion/mixing. Thus, XFELs provide new opportunities for high temporal and spatial resolution studies of systems engaged in function at physiological temperature. In this chapter, we summarize various issues related to microcrystal slurry preparation, sample delivery into the X-ray interaction region, and some emerging strategies for time-resolved SFX data collection.
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9
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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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10
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Polysaccharide-Based Injection Matrix for Serial Crystallography. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21093332. [PMID: 32397185 PMCID: PMC7247560 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21093332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Serial crystallography (SX) provides an opportunity to observe the molecular dynamics of macromolecular structures at room temperature via pump-probe studies. The delivery of crystals embedded in a viscous medium via an injector or syringe is widely performed in synchrotrons or X-ray free-electron laser facilities with low repetition rates. Various viscous media have been developed; however, there are cases in which the delivery material undesirably interacts chemically or biologically with specific protein samples, or changes the stability of the injection stream, depending on the crystallization solution. Therefore, continued discovery and characterization of new delivery media is necessary for expanding future SX applications. Here, the preparation and characterization of new polysaccharide (wheat starch (WS) and alginate)-based sample delivery media are introduced for SX. Crystals embedded in a WS or alginate injection medium showed a stable injection stream at a flow rate of < 200 nL/min and low-level X-ray background scattering similar to other hydrogels. Using these media, serial millisecond crystallography (SMX) was performed, and the room temperature crystal structures of glucose isomerase and lysozyme were determined at 1.9–2.0 Å resolutions. WS and alginate will allow an expanded application of sample delivery media in SX experiments.
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11
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Monteiro DCF, von Stetten D, Stohrer C, Sans M, Pearson AR, Santoni G, van der Linden P, Trebbin M. 3D-MiXD: 3D-printed X-ray-compatible microfluidic devices for rapid, low-consumption serial synchrotron crystallography data collection in flow. IUCRJ 2020; 7:207-219. [PMID: 32148849 PMCID: PMC7055382 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252519016865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Serial crystallography has enabled the study of complex biological questions through the determination of biomolecular structures at room temperature using low X-ray doses. Furthermore, it has enabled the study of protein dynamics by the capture of atomically resolved and time-resolved molecular movies. However, the study of many biologically relevant targets is still severely hindered by high sample consumption and lengthy data-collection times. By combining serial synchrotron crystallography (SSX) with 3D printing, a new experimental platform has been created that tackles these challenges. An affordable 3D-printed, X-ray-compatible microfluidic device (3D-MiXD) is reported that allows data to be collected from protein microcrystals in a 3D flow with very high hit and indexing rates, while keeping the sample consumption low. The miniaturized 3D-MiXD can be rapidly installed into virtually any synchrotron beamline with only minimal adjustments. This efficient collection scheme in combination with its mixing geometry paves the way for recording molecular movies at synchrotrons by mixing-triggered millisecond time-resolved SSX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana C. F. Monteiro
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Hauptman–Woodward Medical Research Institute, 700 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - David von Stetten
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Stohrer
- The Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, England
| | - Marta Sans
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 9, 20355 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Arwen R. Pearson
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 9, 20355 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gianluca Santoni
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS 40220, 38043 Grenoble, France
| | - Peter van der Linden
- Partnership for Soft Condensed Matter, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS 40220, 38043 Grenoble, France
| | - Martin Trebbin
- Hauptman–Woodward Medical Research Institute, 700 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
- Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Natural Sciences Complex 760, Buffalo, NY 14260-3000, USA
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12
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Radiation damage and dose limits in serial synchrotron crystallography at cryo- and room temperatures. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:4142-4151. [PMID: 32047034 PMCID: PMC7049125 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1821522117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Macromolecular X-ray crystallography (MX) is the most prolific structure determination method in structural biology but is limited by radiation damage. To reduce damage progression, MX is usually carried out at cryogenic temperatures, sometimes blocking functionally important conformational heterogeneity. Lacking this shortcoming, room temperature MX has gained momentum with the recent advent of serial crystallography, whereby distribution of the X-ray dose over thousands of crystals mitigates damage. Here, an approach to serial crystallography is presented allowing visualization of specific damage to amino acids at room temperature and determination of a dose limit above which structural information from electron density maps decreases due to radiation damage. This limit provides important guidance for the growing number of synchrotron room temperature MX experiments. Radiation damage limits the accuracy of macromolecular structures in X-ray crystallography. Cryogenic (cryo-) cooling reduces the global radiation damage rate and, therefore, became the method of choice over the past decades. The recent advent of serial crystallography, which spreads the absorbed energy over many crystals, thereby reducing damage, has rendered room temperature (RT) data collection more practical and also extendable to microcrystals, both enabling and requiring the study of specific and global radiation damage at RT. Here, we performed sequential serial raster-scanning crystallography using a microfocused synchrotron beam that allowed for the collection of two series of 40 and 90 full datasets at 2- and 1.9-Å resolution at a dose rate of 40.3 MGy/s on hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) crystals at RT and cryotemperature, respectively. The diffraction intensity halved its initial value at average doses (D1/2) of 0.57 and 15.3 MGy at RT and 100 K, respectively. Specific radiation damage at RT was observed at disulfide bonds but not at acidic residues, increasing and then apparently reversing, a peculiar behavior that can be modeled by accounting for differential diffraction intensity decay due to the nonuniform illumination by the X-ray beam. Specific damage to disulfide bonds is evident early on at RT and proceeds at a fivefold higher rate than global damage. The decay modeling suggests it is advisable not to exceed a dose of 0.38 MGy per dataset in static and time-resolved synchrotron crystallography experiments at RT. This rough yardstick might change for proteins other than HEWL and at resolutions other than 2 Å.
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13
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Beale JH, Bolton R, Marshall SA, Beale EV, Carr SB, Ebrahim A, Moreno-Chicano T, Hough MA, Worrall JAR, Tews I, Owen RL. Successful sample preparation for serial crystallography experiments. J Appl Crystallogr 2019; 52:1385-1396. [PMID: 31798361 PMCID: PMC6878878 DOI: 10.1107/s1600576719013517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Serial crystallography, at both synchrotron and X-ray free-electron laser light sources, is becoming increasingly popular. However, the tools in the majority of crystallization laboratories are focused on producing large single crystals by vapour diffusion that fit the cryo-cooled paradigm of modern synchrotron crystallography. This paper presents several case studies and some ideas and strategies on how to perform the conversion from a single crystal grown by vapour diffusion to the many thousands of micro-crystals required for modern serial crystallography grown by batch crystallization. These case studies aim to show (i) how vapour diffusion conditions can be converted into batch by optimizing the length of time crystals take to appear; (ii) how an understanding of the crystallization phase diagram can act as a guide when designing batch crystallization protocols; and (iii) an accessible methodology when attempting to scale batch conditions to larger volumes. These methods are needed to minimize the sample preparation gap between standard rotation crystallography and dedicated serial laboratories, ultimately making serial crystallography more accessible to all crystallographers.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H. Beale
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Fermi Avenue, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Rachel Bolton
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Fermi Avenue, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Stephen A. Marshall
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Emma V. Beale
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Fermi Avenue, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Stephen B. Carr
- Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Ali Ebrahim
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Fermi Avenue, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Tadeo Moreno-Chicano
- Institute de Biologie Structurale, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Michael A. Hough
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | | | - Ivo Tews
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Robin L. Owen
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Fermi Avenue, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
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14
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Förster A, Schulze-Briese C. A shared vision for macromolecular crystallography over the next five years. STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS (MELVILLE, N.Y.) 2019; 6:064302. [PMID: 31832486 PMCID: PMC6892709 DOI: 10.1063/1.5131017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Macromolecular crystallography (MX) is the dominant means of determining the three-dimensional structures of biological macromolecules, but the method has reached a critical juncture. New diffraction-limited storage rings and upgrades to the existing sources will provide beamlines with higher flux and brilliance, and even the largest detectors can collect at rates of several hundred hertz. Electron cryomicroscopy is successfully competing for structural biologists' most exciting projects. As a result, formerly scarce beam time is becoming increasingly abundant, and beamlines must innovate to attract users and ensure continued funding. Here, we will show how data collection has changed over the preceding five years and how alternative methods have emerged. We then explore how MX at synchrotrons might develop over the next five years. We predict that, despite the continued dominance of rotation crystallography, applications previously considered niche or experimental, such as serial crystallography, pink-beam crystallography, and crystallography at energies above 25 keV and below 5 keV, will rise in prominence as beamlines specialize to offer users the best value. Most of these emerging methods will require new hardware and software. With these advances, MX will more efficiently provide the high-resolution structures needed for drug development. MX will also be able to address a broader range of questions than before and contribute to a deeper understanding of biological processes in the context of integrative structural biology.
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15
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Lieske J, Cerv M, Kreida S, Komadina D, Fischer J, Barthelmess M, Fischer P, Pakendorf T, Yefanov O, Mariani V, Seine T, Ross BH, Crosas E, Lorbeer O, Burkhardt A, Lane TJ, Guenther S, Bergtholdt J, Schoen S, Törnroth-Horsefield S, Chapman HN, Meents A. On-chip crystallization for serial crystallography experiments and on-chip ligand-binding studies. IUCRJ 2019; 6:714-728. [PMID: 31316815 PMCID: PMC6608620 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252519007395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Efficient and reliable sample delivery has remained one of the bottlenecks for serial crystallography experiments. Compared with other methods, fixed-target sample delivery offers the advantage of significantly reduced sample consumption and shorter data collection times owing to higher hit rates. Here, a new method of on-chip crystallization is reported which allows the efficient and reproducible growth of large numbers of protein crystals directly on micro-patterned silicon chips for in-situ serial crystallography experiments. Crystals are grown by sitting-drop vapor diffusion and previously established crystallization conditions can be directly applied. By reducing the number of crystal-handling steps, the method is particularly well suited for sensitive crystal systems. Excessive mother liquor can be efficiently removed from the crystals by blotting, and no sealing of the fixed-target sample holders is required to prevent the crystals from dehydrating. As a consequence, 'naked' crystals are obtained on the chip, resulting in very low background scattering levels and making the crystals highly accessible for external manipulation such as the application of ligand solutions. Serial diffraction experiments carried out at cryogenic temperatures at a synchrotron and at room temperature at an X-ray free-electron laser yielded high-quality X-ray structures of the human membrane protein aquaporin 2 and two new ligand-bound structures of thermolysin and the human kinase DRAK2. The results highlight the applicability of the method for future high-throughput on-chip screening of pharmaceutical compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Lieske
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Cerv
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Kreida
- Center for Molecular Protein Science, Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Kemicentrum, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Dana Komadina
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Janine Fischer
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Miriam Barthelmess
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Pontus Fischer
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tim Pakendorf
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Oleksandr Yefanov
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Valerio Mariani
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Seine
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- EMBL, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Breyan H. Ross
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Eva Crosas
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Olga Lorbeer
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anja Burkhardt
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas J. Lane
- Bioscience Division and Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Sebastian Guenther
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julian Bergtholdt
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Silvan Schoen
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Susanna Törnroth-Horsefield
- Center for Molecular Protein Science, Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Kemicentrum, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Henry N. Chapman
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alke Meents
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
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16
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Wu JLY, Tellkamp F, Khajehpour M, Robertson WD, Miller RJD. Rapid mixing of colliding picoliter liquid droplets delivered through-space from piezoelectric-actuated pipettes characterized by time-resolved fluorescence monitoring. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2019; 90:055109. [PMID: 31153275 DOI: 10.1063/1.5050270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Rapid mixing of aqueous solutions is a crucial first step to study the kinetics of fast biochemical reactions with high temporal resolution. Remarkable progress toward this goal has been made through the development of advanced stopped-flow mixing techniques resulting in reduced dead times, and thereby extending reaction monitoring capabilities to numerous biochemical systems. Concurrently, piezoelectric actuators for through-space liquid droplet sample delivery have also been applied in several experimental systems, providing discrete picoliter sample volume delivery and precision sample deposition onto a surface, free of confinement within microfluidic devices, tubing, or other physical constraints. Here, we characterize the inertial mixing kinetics of two aqueous droplets (130 pl) produced by piezoelectric-actuated pipettes, following droplet collision in free space and deposition on a surface in a proof of principle experiment. A time-resolved fluorescence system was developed to monitor the mixing and fluorescence quenching of 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (5-Tamra) and N-Bromosuccinimide, which we show to occur in less than 10 ms. In this respect, this methodology is unique in that it offers millisecond mixing capabilities for very small quantities of discrete sample volumes. Furthermore, the use of discrete droplets for sample delivery and mixing in free space provides potential advantages, including the elimination of the requirement for a physical construction as with microfluidic systems, and thereby makes possible and extends the experimental capabilities of many systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Y Wu
- Division of Engineering Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2E4, Canada
| | - Friedjof Tellkamp
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg 27761, Germany
| | - Mazdak Khajehpour
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Wesley D Robertson
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg 27761, Germany
| | - R J Dwayne Miller
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg 27761, Germany
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17
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Monteiro DCF, Vakili M, Harich J, Sztucki M, Meier SM, Horrell S, Josts I, Trebbin M. A microfluidic flow-focusing device for low sample consumption serial synchrotron crystallography experiments in liquid flow. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2019; 26:406-412. [PMID: 30855249 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577519000304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Serial synchrotron crystallography allows low X-ray dose, room-temperature crystal structures of proteins to be determined from a population of microcrystals. Protein production and crystallization is a non-trivial procedure and it is essential to have X-ray-compatible sample environments that keep sample consumption low and the crystals in their native environment. This article presents a fast and optimized manufacturing route to metal-polyimide microfluidic flow-focusing devices which allow for the collection of X-ray diffraction data in flow. The flow-focusing conditions allow for sample consumption to be significantly decreased, while also opening up the possibility of more complex experiments such as rapid mixing for time-resolved serial crystallography. This high-repetition-rate experiment allows for full datasets to be obtained quickly (∼1 h) from crystal slurries in liquid flow. The X-ray compatible microfluidic chips are easily manufacturable, reliable and durable and require sample-flow rates on the order of only 30 µl h-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana C F Monteiro
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, Hamburg 22761, Germany
| | - Mohammad Vakili
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, Hamburg 22761, Germany
| | - Jessica Harich
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, Hamburg 22761, Germany
| | - Michael Sztucki
- ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble CS 40220, France
| | - Susanne M Meier
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, Hamburg 22761, Germany
| | - Sam Horrell
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, Hamburg 22761, Germany
| | - Inokentijs Josts
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, Hamburg 22761, Germany
| | - Martin Trebbin
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, Hamburg 22761, Germany
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18
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Martiel I, Müller-Werkmeister HM, Cohen AE. Strategies for sample delivery for femtosecond crystallography. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2019; 75:160-177. [PMID: 30821705 PMCID: PMC6400256 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798318017953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly efficient data-collection methods are required for successful macromolecular crystallography (MX) experiments at X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs). XFEL beamtime is scarce, and the high peak brightness of each XFEL pulse destroys the exposed crystal volume. It is therefore necessary to combine diffraction images from a large number of crystals (hundreds to hundreds of thousands) to obtain a final data set, bringing about sample-refreshment challenges that have previously been unknown to the MX synchrotron community. In view of this experimental complexity, a number of sample delivery methods have emerged, each with specific requirements, drawbacks and advantages. To provide useful selection criteria for future experiments, this review summarizes the currently available sample delivery methods, emphasising the basic principles and the specific sample requirements. Two main approaches to sample delivery are first covered: (i) injector methods with liquid or viscous media and (ii) fixed-target methods using large crystals or using microcrystals inside multi-crystal holders or chips. Additionally, hybrid methods such as acoustic droplet ejection and crystal extraction are covered, which combine the advantages of both fixed-target and injector approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Martiel
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Henrike M. Müller-Werkmeister
- Institute of Chemistry – Physical Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 24-25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Aina E. Cohen
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
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19
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Samara YN, Brennan HM, McCarthy L, Bollard MT, Laspina D, Wlodek JM, Campos SL, Natarajan R, Gofron K, McSweeney S, Soares AS, Leroy L. Using sound pulses to solve the crystal-harvesting bottleneck. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2018; 74:986-999. [PMID: 30289409 PMCID: PMC6173054 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798318011506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Crystal harvesting has proven to be difficult to automate and remains the rate-limiting step for many structure-determination and high-throughput screening projects. This has resulted in crystals being prepared more rapidly than they can be harvested for X-ray data collection. Fourth-generation synchrotrons will support extraordinarily rapid rates of data acquisition, putting further pressure on the crystal-harvesting bottleneck. Here, a simple solution is reported in which crystals can be acoustically harvested from slightly modified MiTeGen In Situ-1 crystallization plates. This technique uses an acoustic pulse to eject each crystal out of its crystallization well, through a short air column and onto a micro-mesh (improving on previous work, which required separately grown crystals to be transferred before harvesting). Crystals can be individually harvested or can be serially combined with a chemical library such as a fragment library.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin N. Samara
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-900 Santa Maria-RS, Brazil
| | - Haley M. Brennan
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187, USA
| | - Liam McCarthy
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biology, Stony Brook University, New York, NY 11794-5215, USA
| | - Mary T. Bollard
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biology, York College of Pennsylvania, York, PA 17403, USA
| | - Denise Laspina
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biology, Stony Brook University, New York, NY 11794-5215, USA
| | - Jakub M. Wlodek
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stony Brook University, New York, NY 11794-5215, USA
| | - Stefanie L. Campos
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Stony Brook University, New York, NY 11794-5215, USA
| | - Ramya Natarajan
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Kazimierz Gofron
- Energy Sciences Directorate, NSLS II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Sean McSweeney
- Energy Sciences Directorate, NSLS II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Alexei S. Soares
- Energy Sciences Directorate, NSLS II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Ludmila Leroy
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil
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20
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Warkentin MA, Atakisi H, Hopkins JB, Walko D, Thorne RE. Lifetimes and spatio-temporal response of protein crystals in intense X-ray microbeams. IUCRJ 2017; 4:785-794. [PMID: 29123681 PMCID: PMC5668864 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252517013495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Serial synchrotron-based crystallography using intense microfocused X-ray beams, fast-framing detectors and protein microcrystals held at 300 K promises to expand the range of accessible structural targets and to increase overall structure-pipeline throughputs. To explore the nature and consequences of X-ray radiation damage under microbeam illumination, the time-, dose- and temperature-dependent evolution of crystal diffraction have been measured with maximum dose rates of 50 MGy s-1. At all temperatures and dose rates, the integrated diffraction intensity for a fixed crystal orientation shows non-exponential decays with dose. Non-exponential decays are a consequence of non-uniform illumination and the resulting spatial evolution of diffracted intensity within the illuminated crystal volume. To quantify radiation-damage lifetimes and the damage state of diffracting crystal regions, a revised diffraction-weighted dose (DWD) is defined and it is shown that for Gaussian beams the DWD becomes nearly independent of actual dose at large doses. An apparent delayed onset of radiation damage seen in some intensity-dose curves is in fact a consequence of damage. Intensity fluctuations at high dose rates may arise from the impulsive release of gaseous damage products. Accounting for these effects, data collection at the highest dose rates increases crystal radiation lifetimes near 300 K (but not at 100 K) by a factor of ∼1.5-2 compared with those observed at conventional dose rates. Improved quantification and modeling of the complex spatio-temporal evolution of protein microcrystal diffraction in intense microbeams will enable more efficient data collection, and will be essential in improving the accuracy of structure factors and structural models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A. Warkentin
- Physics Department, Cornell University, Clark Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Rubota Corporation, 1260 NW Naito Parkway #609, Portland, OR 97209, USA
| | - Hakan Atakisi
- Physics Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | | | - Donald Walko
- Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
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21
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Beyerlein KR, Dierksmeyer D, Mariani V, Kuhn M, Sarrou I, Ottaviano A, Awel S, Knoska J, Fuglerud S, Jönsson O, Stern S, Wiedorn MO, Yefanov O, Adriano L, Bean R, Burkhardt A, Fischer P, Heymann M, Horke DA, Jungnickel KEJ, Kovaleva E, Lorbeer O, Metz M, Meyer J, Morgan A, Pande K, Panneerselvam S, Seuring C, Tolstikova A, Lieske J, Aplin S, Roessle M, White TA, Chapman HN, Meents A, Oberthuer D. Mix-and-diffuse serial synchrotron crystallography. IUCRJ 2017; 4:769-777. [PMID: 29123679 PMCID: PMC5668862 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252517013124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Unravelling the interaction of biological macromolecules with ligands and substrates at high spatial and temporal resolution remains a major challenge in structural biology. The development of serial crystallography methods at X-ray free-electron lasers and subsequently at synchrotron light sources allows new approaches to tackle this challenge. Here, a new polyimide tape drive designed for mix-and-diffuse serial crystallography experiments is reported. The structure of lysozyme bound by the competitive inhibitor chitotriose was determined using this device in combination with microfluidic mixers. The electron densities obtained from mixing times of 2 and 50 s show clear binding of chitotriose to the enzyme at a high level of detail. The success of this approach shows the potential for high-throughput drug screening and even structural enzymology on short timescales at bright synchrotron light sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth R. Beyerlein
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Valerio Mariani
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Manuela Kuhn
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Iosifina Sarrou
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Angelica Ottaviano
- Department of Physics, California State University, Northridge, California, USA
| | - Salah Awel
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Juraj Knoska
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Silje Fuglerud
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Olof Jönsson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Stephan Stern
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- European X-ray Free-Electron Laser Facility GmbH (XFEL), Schenefeld, Germany
| | - Max O. Wiedorn
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Oleksandr Yefanov
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Luigi Adriano
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Richard Bean
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anja Burkhardt
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Pontus Fischer
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Heymann
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel A. Horke
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Elena Kovaleva
- SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California, USA
| | - Olga Lorbeer
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Metz
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Meyer
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andrew Morgan
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kanupriya Pande
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Carolin Seuring
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Aleksandra Tolstikova
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julia Lieske
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Steve Aplin
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Thomas A. White
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Henry N. Chapman
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alke Meents
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Photon Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dominik Oberthuer
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
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22
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Šrajer V, Schmidt M. Watching Proteins Function with Time-resolved X-ray Crystallography. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D: APPLIED PHYSICS 2017; 50:373001. [PMID: 29353938 PMCID: PMC5771432 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6463/aa7d32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Macromolecular crystallography was immensely successful in the last two decades. To a large degree this success resulted from use of powerful third generation synchrotron X-ray sources. An expansive database of more than 100,000 protein structures, of which many were determined at resolution better than 2 Å, is available today. With this achievement, the spotlight in structural biology is shifting from determination of static structures to elucidating dynamic aspects of protein function. A powerful tool for addressing these aspects is time-resolved crystallography, where a genuine biological function is triggered in the crystal with a goal of capturing molecules in action and determining protein kinetics and structures of intermediates (Schmidt et al., 2005a; Schmidt 2008; Neutze and Moffat, 2012; Šrajer 2014). In this approach, short and intense X-ray pulses are used to probe intermediates in real time and at room temperature, in an ongoing reaction that is initiated synchronously and rapidly in the crystal. Time-resolved macromolecular crystallography with 100 ps time resolution at synchrotron X-ray sources is in its mature phase today, particularly for studies of reversible, light-initiated reactions. The advent of the new free electron lasers for hard X-rays (XFELs; 5-20 keV), which provide exceptionally intense, femtosecond X-ray pulses, marks a new frontier for time-resolved crystallography. The exploration of ultra-fast events becomes possible in high-resolution structural detail, on sub-picosecond time scales (Tenboer et al., 2014; Barends et al., 2015; Pande et al., 2016). We review here state-of-the-art time-resolved crystallographic experiments both at synchrotrons and XFELs. We also outline challenges and further developments necessary to broaden the application of these methods to many important proteins and enzymes of biomedical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vukica Šrajer
- Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Marius Schmidt
- Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, IL, USA
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23
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Yamamoto M, Hirata K, Yamashita K, Hasegawa K, Ueno G, Ago H, Kumasaka T. Protein microcrystallography using synchrotron radiation. IUCRJ 2017; 4:529-539. [PMID: 28989710 PMCID: PMC5619846 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252517008193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The progress in X-ray microbeam applications using synchrotron radiation is beneficial to structure determination from macromolecular microcrystals such as small in meso crystals. However, the high intensity of microbeams causes severe radiation damage, which worsens both the statistical quality of diffraction data and their resolution, and in the worst cases results in the failure of structure determination. Even in the event of successful structure determination, site-specific damage can lead to the misinterpretation of structural features. In order to overcome this issue, technological developments in sample handling and delivery, data-collection strategy and data processing have been made. For a few crystals with dimensions of the order of 10 µm, an elegant two-step scanning strategy works well. For smaller samples, the development of a novel method to analyze multiple isomorphous microcrystals was motivated by the success of serial femtosecond crystallography with X-ray free-electron lasers. This method overcame the radiation-dose limit in diffraction data collection by using a sufficient number of crystals. Here, important technologies and the future prospects for microcrystallography are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Yamamoto
- Advanced Photon Technology Division, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Kunio Hirata
- Advanced Photon Technology Division, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
- Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Keitaro Yamashita
- Advanced Photon Technology Division, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Kazuya Hasegawa
- Advanced Photon Technology Division, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
- Protein Crystal Analysis Division, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
| | - Go Ueno
- Advanced Photon Technology Division, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Hideo Ago
- Advanced Photon Technology Division, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Takashi Kumasaka
- Advanced Photon Technology Division, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
- 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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24
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Mylona A, Carr S, Aller P, Moraes I, Treisman R, Evans G, Foadi J. A Novel Approach to Data Collection for Difficult Structures: Data Management for Large Numbers of Crystals with the BLEND Software. CRYSTALS 2017; 7:242. [PMID: 29456874 PMCID: PMC5813789 DOI: 10.3390/cryst7080242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The present article describes how to use the computer program BLEND to help assemble complete datasets for the solution of macromolecular structures, starting from partial or complete datasets, derived from data collection from multiple crystals. The program is demonstrated on more than two hundred X-ray diffraction datasets obtained from 50 crystals of a complex formed between the SRF transcription factor, its cognate DNA, and a peptide from the SRF cofactor MRTF-A. This structure is currently in the process of being fully solved. While full details of the structure are not yet available, the repeated application of BLEND on data from this structure, as they have become available, has made it possible to produce electron density maps clear enough to visualise the potential location of MRTF sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Mylona
- Signalling and Transcription Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Stephen Carr
- Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxford OX11 0FA, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Pierre Aller
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Isabel Moraes
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Richard Treisman
- Signalling and Transcription Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Gwyndaf Evans
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - James Foadi
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
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25
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Zeydan B, Petruska AJ, Somm L, Pieters R, Fang Y, Sargent DF, Nelson BJ. Automated Particle Collection for Protein Crystal Harvesting. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2017. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2017.2669364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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26
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Fuller FD, Gul S, Chatterjee R, Burgie ES, Young ID, Lebrette H, Srinivas V, Brewster AS, Michels-Clark T, Clinger JA, Andi B, Ibrahim M, Pastor E, de Lichtenberg C, Hussein R, Pollock CJ, Zhang M, Stan CA, Kroll T, Fransson T, Weninger C, Kubin M, Aller P, Lassalle L, Bräuer P, Miller MD, Amin M, Koroidov S, Roessler CG, Allaire M, Sierra RG, Docker PT, Glownia JM, Nelson S, Koglin JE, Zhu D, Chollet M, Song S, Lemke H, Liang M, Sokaras D, Alonso-Mori R, Zouni A, Messinger J, Bergmann U, Boal AK, Bollinger JM, Krebs C, Högbom M, Phillips GN, Vierstra RD, Sauter NK, Orville AM, Kern J, Yachandra VK, Yano J. Drop-on-demand sample delivery for studying biocatalysts in action at X-ray free-electron lasers. Nat Methods 2017; 14:443-449. [PMID: 28250468 PMCID: PMC5376230 DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.4195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
X-ray crystallography at X-ray free-electron laser sources is a powerful method for studying macromolecules at biologically relevant temperatures. Moreover, when combined with complementary techniques like X-ray emission spectroscopy, both global structures and chemical properties of metalloenzymes can be obtained concurrently, providing insights into the interplay between the protein structure and dynamics and the chemistry at an active site. The implementation of such a multimodal approach can be compromised by conflicting requirements to optimize each individual method. In particular, the method used for sample delivery greatly affects the data quality. We present here a robust way of delivering controlled sample amounts on demand using acoustic droplet ejection coupled with a conveyor belt drive that is optimized for crystallography and spectroscopy measurements of photochemical and chemical reactions over a wide range of time scales. Studies with photosystem II, the phytochrome photoreceptor, and ribonucleotide reductase R2 illustrate the power and versatility of this method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franklin D. Fuller
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Sheraz Gul
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ruchira Chatterjee
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ernest S. Burgie
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St.
Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
| | - Iris D. Young
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Hugo Lebrette
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University,
SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vivek Srinivas
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University,
SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Aaron S. Brewster
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Tara Michels-Clark
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | | | - Babak Andi
- National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National
Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Mohamed Ibrahim
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu
Berlin, D-10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ernest Pastor
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Casper de Lichtenberg
- Institutionen för Kemi, Kemiskt Biologiskt Centrum,
Umeå Universitet, SE 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Rana Hussein
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu
Berlin, D-10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christopher J. Pollock
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Miao Zhang
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu
Berlin, D-10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudiu A. Stan
- Stanford PULSE Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory,
Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Thomas Kroll
- SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | - Thomas Fransson
- Stanford PULSE Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory,
Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Clemens Weninger
- Stanford PULSE Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory,
Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | - Markus Kubin
- Institute for Methods and Instrumentation on Synchrotron Radiation
Research, Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, 12489
Berlin, Germany
| | - Pierre Aller
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus,
Didcot, OX110DE, UK
| | - Louise Lassalle
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Philipp Bräuer
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus,
Didcot, OX110DE, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road,
Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | | | - Muhamed Amin
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Sergey Koroidov
- Institutionen för Kemi, Kemiskt Biologiskt Centrum,
Umeå Universitet, SE 90187 Umeå, Sweden
- Stanford PULSE Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory,
Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Christian G. Roessler
- National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National
Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Marc Allaire
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Raymond G. Sierra
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | - Peter T. Docker
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus,
Didcot, OX110DE, UK
| | - James M. Glownia
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | - Silke Nelson
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | - Jason E. Koglin
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | - Diling Zhu
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | - Matthieu Chollet
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | - Sanghoon Song
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | - Henrik Lemke
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | - Mengning Liang
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | | | | | - Athina Zouni
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu
Berlin, D-10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes Messinger
- Institutionen för Kemi, Kemiskt Biologiskt Centrum,
Umeå Universitet, SE 90187 Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry – Ångström,
Molecular Biomimetics, Uppsala University, SE 75120 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Uwe Bergmann
- Stanford PULSE Institute, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory,
Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Amie K. Boal
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania
State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - J. Martin Bollinger
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania
State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Carsten Krebs
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania
State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Martin Högbom
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University,
SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305,
USA
| | - George N. Phillips
- Department of BioSciences, Rice Univ. Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Rice Univ. Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Richard D. Vierstra
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St.
Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
| | - Nicholas K. Sauter
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Allen M. Orville
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus,
Didcot, OX110DE, UK
| | - Jan Kern
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- LCLS, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025,
USA
| | - Vittal K. Yachandra
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Junko Yano
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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27
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Abstract
The intense X-ray pulses from free-electron lasers, of only femtoseconds duration, outrun most of the processes that lead to structural degradation in X-ray exposures of macromolecules. Using these sources it is therefore possible to increase the dose to macromolecular crystals by several orders of magnitude higher than usually tolerable in conventional measurements, allowing crystal size to be decreased dramatically in diffraction measurements and without the need to cool the sample. Such pulses lead to the eventual vaporization of the sample, which has required a measurement approach, called serial crystallography, of consolidating snapshot diffraction patterns of many individual crystals. This in turn has further separated the connection between dose and obtainable diffraction information, with the only requirement from a single pattern being that to give enough information to place it, in three-dimensional reciprocal space, in relation to other patterns. Millions of extremely weak patterns can be collected and combined in this way, requiring methods to rapidly replenish the sample into the beam while generating the lowest possible background . The method is suited to time-resolved measurements over timescales below 1 ps to several seconds, and opens new opportunities for phasing. Some straightforward considerations of achievable signal levels are discussed and compared with a wide variety of recent experiments carried out at XFEL, synchrotron, and even laboratory sources, to discuss the capabilities of these new approaches and give some perspectives on their further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry N Chapman
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, DESY, Hamburg, 22607, Germany.
- Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, 22607, Germany.
- The Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, 22607, Germany.
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28
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Abstract
Prompted by methodological advances in measurements with X-ray free electron lasers, it was realized in the last two years that traditional (or conventional) methods for data collection from crystals of macromolecular specimens can be complemented by synchrotron measurements on microcrystals that would individually not suffice for a complete data set. Measuring, processing, and merging many partial data sets of this kind requires new techniques which have since been implemented at several third-generation synchrotron facilities, and are described here. Among these, we particularly focus on the possibility of in situ measurements combined with in meso crystal preparations and data analysis with the XDS package and auxiliary programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kay Diederichs
- Department of Biology, Universität Konstanz, Box 647, D-78457, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Meitian Wang
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232, Villigen, Switzerland
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29
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Abstract
AbstractIn 1912, Max von Laue and collaborators first observed diffraction spots from a millimeter-sized crystal of copper sulfate using an X-ray tube. Crystallography was born of this experiment, and since then, diffraction by both X-rays and electrons has revealed a myriad of inorganic and organic structures, including structures of complex protein assemblies. Advancements in X-ray sources have spurred a revolution in structure determination, facilitated by the development of new methods. This review explores some of the frontier methods that are shaping the future of X-ray diffraction, including coherent diffractive imaging, serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography and small-angle X-ray scattering. Collectively, these methods expand the current limits of structure determination in biological systems across multiple length and time scales.
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30
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Ultrasonic acoustic levitation for fast frame rate X-ray protein crystallography at room temperature. Sci Rep 2016; 6:25558. [PMID: 27150272 PMCID: PMC4858681 DOI: 10.1038/srep25558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing the data acquisition rate of X-ray diffraction images for macromolecular crystals at room temperature at synchrotrons has the potential to significantly accelerate both structural analysis of biomolecules and structure-based drug developments. Using lysozyme model crystals, we demonstrated the rapid acquisition of X-ray diffraction datasets by combining a high frame rate pixel array detector with ultrasonic acoustic levitation of protein crystals in liquid droplets. The rapid spinning of the crystal within a levitating droplet ensured an efficient sampling of the reciprocal space. The datasets were processed with a program suite developed for serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX). The structure, which was solved by molecular replacement, was found to be identical to the structure obtained by the conventional oscillation method for up to a 1.8-Å resolution limit. In particular, the absence of protein crystal damage resulting from the acoustic levitation was carefully established. These results represent a key step towards a fully automated sample handling and measurement pipeline, which has promising prospects for a high acquisition rate and high sample efficiency for room temperature X-ray crystallography.
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31
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Martin-Garcia JM, Conrad CE, Coe J, Roy-Chowdhury S, Fromme P. Serial femtosecond crystallography: A revolution in structural biology. Arch Biochem Biophys 2016; 602:32-47. [PMID: 27143509 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2016.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Macromolecular crystallography at synchrotron sources has proven to be the most influential method within structural biology, producing thousands of structures since its inception. While its utility has been instrumental in progressing our knowledge of structures of molecules, it suffers from limitations such as the need for large, well-diffracting crystals, and radiation damage that can hamper native structural determination. The recent advent of X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) and their implementation in the emerging field of serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) has given rise to a remarkable expansion upon existing crystallographic constraints, allowing structural biologists access to previously restricted scientific territory. SFX relies on exceptionally brilliant, micro-focused X-ray pulses, which are femtoseconds in duration, to probe nano/micrometer sized crystals in a serial fashion. This results in data sets comprised of individual snapshots, each capturing Bragg diffraction of single crystals in random orientations prior to their subsequent destruction. Thus structural elucidation while avoiding radiation damage, even at room temperature, can now be achieved. This emerging field has cultivated new methods for nanocrystallogenesis, sample delivery, and data processing. Opportunities and challenges within SFX are reviewed herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose M Martin-Garcia
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA; Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-7401, USA
| | - Chelsie E Conrad
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA; Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-7401, USA
| | - Jesse Coe
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA; Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-7401, USA
| | - Shatabdi Roy-Chowdhury
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA; Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-7401, USA
| | - Petra Fromme
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA; Center for Applied Structural Discovery, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-7401, USA.
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32
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Roessler CG, Agarwal R, Allaire M, Alonso-Mori R, Andi B, Bachega JFR, Bommer M, Brewster AS, Browne MC, Chatterjee R, Cho E, Cohen AE, Cowan M, Datwani S, Davidson VL, Defever J, Eaton B, Ellson R, Feng Y, Ghislain LP, Glownia JM, Han G, Hattne J, Hellmich J, Héroux A, Ibrahim M, Kern J, Kuczewski A, Lemke HT, Liu P, Majlof L, McClintock WM, Myers S, Nelsen S, Olechno J, Orville AM, Sauter NK, Soares AS, Soltis SM, Song H, Stearns RG, Tran R, Tsai Y, Uervirojnangkoorn M, Wilmot CM, Yachandra V, Yano J, Yukl ET, Zhu D, Zouni A. Acoustic Injectors for Drop-On-Demand Serial Femtosecond Crystallography. Structure 2016; 24:631-640. [PMID: 26996959 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2016.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Revised: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) provide very intense X-ray pulses suitable for macromolecular crystallography. Each X-ray pulse typically lasts for tens of femtoseconds and the interval between pulses is many orders of magnitude longer. Here we describe two novel acoustic injection systems that use focused sound waves to eject picoliter to nanoliter crystal-containing droplets out of microplates and into the X-ray pulse from which diffraction data are collected. The on-demand droplet delivery is synchronized to the XFEL pulse scheme, resulting in X-ray pulses intersecting up to 88% of the droplets. We tested several types of samples in a range of crystallization conditions, wherein the overall crystal hit ratio (e.g., fraction of images with observable diffraction patterns) is a function of the microcrystal slurry concentration. We report crystal structures from lysozyme, thermolysin, and stachydrine demethylase (Stc2). Additional samples were screened to demonstrate that these methods can be applied to rare samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian G Roessler
- Photon Sciences Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Rakhi Agarwal
- Biosciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Marc Allaire
- Photon Sciences Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA.
| | - Roberto Alonso-Mori
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Babak Andi
- Photon Sciences Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - José F R Bachega
- Centro de Biotecnologia Molecular Estrutural, Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 369, São Carlos, CEP: 13560-970, Brazil
| | - Martin Bommer
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Aaron S Brewster
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720-8177, USA
| | - Michael C Browne
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Ruchira Chatterjee
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720-8177, USA
| | - Eunsun Cho
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215-2521, USA
| | - Aina E Cohen
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Matthew Cowan
- Photon Sciences Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | | | - Victor L Davidson
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816-2364, USA
| | - Jim Defever
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | | | | | - Yiping Feng
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | | | - James M Glownia
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Guangye Han
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720-8177, USA
| | - Johan Hattne
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720-8177, USA
| | - Julia Hellmich
- Max-Volmer-Laboratorium für Biophysikalische Chemie, Technische Universität, D-10623 Berlin, Germany; Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Annie Héroux
- Photon Sciences Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Mohamed Ibrahim
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Kern
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720-8177, USA; Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Anthony Kuczewski
- Photon Sciences Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Henrik T Lemke
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Pinghua Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215-2521, USA
| | | | | | - Stuart Myers
- Photon Sciences Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Silke Nelsen
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | | | - Allen M Orville
- Photon Sciences Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA; Biosciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA.
| | - Nicholas K Sauter
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720-8177, USA
| | - Alexei S Soares
- Photon Sciences Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA.
| | - S Michael Soltis
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Heng Song
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215-2521, USA
| | | | - Rosalie Tran
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720-8177, USA
| | - Yingssu Tsai
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4401, USA
| | | | - Carrie M Wilmot
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Vittal Yachandra
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720-8177, USA
| | - Junko Yano
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720-8177, USA
| | - Erik T Yukl
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Diling Zhu
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Athina Zouni
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10099 Berlin, Germany
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Ericson DL, Yin X, Scalia A, Samara YN, Stearns R, Vlahos H, Ellson R, Sweet RM, Soares AS. Acoustic Methods to Monitor Protein Crystallization and to Detect Protein Crystals in Suspensions of Agarose and Lipidic Cubic Phase. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 21:107-14. [DOI: 10.1177/2211068215616365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Boutet S, Cohen A, Wakatsuki S. The New Macromolecular Femtosecond Crystallography (MFX) Instrument at LCLS. SYNCHROTRON RADIATION NEWS 2016; 29:23-28. [PMID: 28736484 PMCID: PMC5519296 DOI: 10.1080/08940886.2016.1124681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Boutet
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California, USA
| | - Aina Cohen
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California, USA
| | - Soichi Wakatsuki
- Bioscience Division, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California, USA
- Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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Crystallographic phasing from weak anomalous signals. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2015; 34:99-107. [PMID: 26432413 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2015.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Revised: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The exploitation of anomalous signals for biological structural solution is maturing. Single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (SAD) is dominant in de novo structure analysis. Nevertheless, for challenging structures where the resolution is low (dmin≥3.5Å) or where only lighter atoms (Z≤20) are present, as for native macromolecules, solved SAD structures are still scarce. With the recent rapid development in crystal handling, beamline instrumentation, optimization of data collection strategies, use of multiple crystals and structure determination technologies, the weak anomalous diffraction signals are now robustly measured and should be used for routine SAD structure determination. The review covers these recent advances on weak anomalous signals measurement, analysis and utilization.
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Chavas LMG, Gumprecht L, Chapman HN. Possibilities for serial femtosecond crystallography sample delivery at future light sources. STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS (MELVILLE, N.Y.) 2015; 2:041709. [PMID: 26798808 PMCID: PMC4711622 DOI: 10.1063/1.4921220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) uses X-ray pulses from free-electron laser (FEL) sources that can outrun radiation damage and thereby overcome long-standing limits in the structure determination of macromolecular crystals. Intense X-ray FEL pulses of sufficiently short duration allow the collection of damage-free data at room temperature and give the opportunity to study irreversible time-resolved events. SFX may open the way to determine the structure of biological molecules that fail to crystallize readily into large well-diffracting crystals. Taking advantage of FELs with high pulse repetition rates could lead to short measurement times of just minutes. Automated delivery of sample suspensions for SFX experiments could potentially give rise to a much higher rate of obtaining complete measurements than at today's third generation synchrotron radiation facilities, as no crystal alignment or complex robotic motions are required. This capability will also open up extensive time-resolved structural studies. New challenges arise from the resulting high rate of data collection, and in providing reliable sample delivery. Various developments for fully automated high-throughput SFX experiments are being considered for evaluation, including new implementations for a reliable yet flexible sample environment setup. Here, we review the different methods developed so far that best achieve sample delivery for X-ray FEL experiments and present some considerations towards the goal of high-throughput structure determination with X-ray FELs.
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Affiliation(s)
- L M G Chavas
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, DESY , Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - L Gumprecht
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, DESY , Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
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38
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Guo F, Zhou W, Li P, Mao Z, Yennawar N, French JB, Jun Huang T. Precise Manipulation and Patterning of Protein Crystals for Macromolecular Crystallography Using Surface Acoustic Waves. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2015; 11:2733-7. [PMID: 25641793 PMCID: PMC4478196 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201403262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Advances in modern X-ray sources and detector technology have made it possible for crystallographers to collect usable data on crystals of only a few micrometers or less in size. Despite these developments, sample handling techniques have significantly lagged behind and often prevent the full realization of current beamline capabilities. In order to address this shortcoming, a surface acoustic wave-based method for manipulating and patterning crystals is developed. This method, which does not damage the fragile protein crystals, can precisely manipulate and pattern micrometer and submicrometer-sized crystals for data collection and screening. The technique is robust, inexpensive, and easy to implement. This method not only promises to significantly increase efficiency and throughput of both conventional and serial crystallography experiments, but will also make it possible to collect data on samples that were previously intractable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Guo
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Weijie Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Zhangming Mao
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Neela Yennawar
- Huck Institutes for Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Jarrod B. French
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Tony Jun Huang
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Teplitsky E, Joshi K, Ericson DL, Scalia A, Mullen JD, Sweet RM, Soares AS. High throughput screening using acoustic droplet ejection to combine protein crystals and chemical libraries on crystallization plates at high density. J Struct Biol 2015; 191:49-58. [PMID: 26027487 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Revised: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We describe a high throughput method for screening up to 1728 distinct chemicals with protein crystals on a single microplate. Acoustic droplet ejection (ADE) was used to co-position 2.5nL of protein, precipitant, and chemicals on a MiTeGen in situ-1 crystallization plate™ for screening by co-crystallization or soaking. ADE-transferred droplets follow a precise trajectory which allows all components to be transferred through small apertures in the microplate lid. The apertures were large enough for 2.5nL droplets to pass through them, but small enough so that they did not disrupt the internal environment created by the mother liquor. Using this system, thermolysin and trypsin crystals were efficiently screened for binding to a heavy-metal mini-library. Fluorescence and X-ray diffraction were used to confirm that each chemical in the heavy-metal library was correctly paired with the intended protein crystal. A fragment mini-library was screened to observe two known lysozyme ligands using both co-crystallization and soaking. A similar approach was used to identify multiple, novel thaumatin binding sites for ascorbic acid. This technology pushes towards a faster, automated, and more flexible strategy for high throughput screening of chemical libraries (such as fragment libraries) using as little as 2.5nL of each component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella Teplitsky
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, NY 11794-5215, USA
| | - Karan Joshi
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA; Department of Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering, PEC University of Technology, Chandigarh, India
| | - Daniel L Ericson
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, SUNY, 12 Capen Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Alexander Scalia
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton University, NY 13902, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Mullen
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA; Physics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1274, USA
| | - Robert M Sweet
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Alexei S Soares
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA.
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Schlichting I. Serial femtosecond crystallography: the first five years. IUCRJ 2015; 2:246-55. [PMID: 25866661 PMCID: PMC4392417 DOI: 10.1107/s205225251402702x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Protein crystallography using synchrotron radiation sources has had a tremendous impact on biology, having yielded the structures of thousands of proteins and given detailed insight into their mechanisms. However, the technique is limited by the requirement for macroscopic crystals, which can be difficult to obtain, as well as by the often severe radiation damage caused in diffraction experiments, in particular when using tiny crystals. To slow radiation damage, data collection is typically performed at cryogenic temperatures. With the advent of free-electron lasers (FELs) capable of delivering extremely intense femtosecond X-ray pulses, this situation appears to be remedied, allowing the structure determination of undamaged macromolecules using either macroscopic or microscopic crystals. The latter are exposed to the FEL beam in random orientations and their diffraction data are collected at cryogenic or room temperature in a serial fashion, since each crystal is destroyed upon a single exposure. The new approaches required for crystal growth and delivery, and for diffraction data analysis, including de novo phasing, are reviewed. The opportunities and challenges of SFX are described, including applications such as time-resolved measurements and the analysis of radiation damage-prone systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilme Schlichting
- Department of Biomolecular Mechanisms, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
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41
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Neutze R. Opportunities and challenges for time-resolved studies of protein structural dynamics at X-ray free-electron lasers. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2015; 369:20130318. [PMID: 24914150 PMCID: PMC4052859 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) are revolutionary X-ray sources. Their time structure, providing X-ray pulses of a few tens of femtoseconds in duration; and their extreme peak brilliance, delivering approximately 1012 X-ray photons per pulse and facilitating sub-micrometre focusing, distinguish XFEL sources from synchrotron radiation. In this opinion piece, I argue that these properties of XFEL radiation will facilitate new discoveries in life science. I reason that time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography and time-resolved wide angle X-ray scattering are promising areas of scientific investigation that will be advanced by XFEL capabilities, allowing new scientific questions to be addressed that are not accessible using established methods at storage ring facilities. These questions include visualizing ultrafast protein structural dynamics on the femtosecond to picosecond time-scale, as well as time-resolved diffraction studies of non-cyclic reactions. I argue that these emerging opportunities will stimulate a renaissance of interest in time-resolved structural biochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Neutze
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, PO Box 462, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
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42
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Cuttitta CM, Ericson DL, Scalia A, Roessler CG, Teplitsky E, Joshi K, Campos O, Agarwal R, Allaire M, Orville AM, Sweet RM, Soares AS. Acoustic transfer of protein crystals from agarose pedestals to micromeshes for high-throughput screening. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA. SECTION D, BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 2015; 71:94-103. [PMID: 25615864 PMCID: PMC4304690 DOI: 10.1107/s1399004714013728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Acoustic droplet ejection (ADE) is an emerging technology with broad applications in serial crystallography such as growing, improving and manipulating protein crystals. One application of this technology is to gently transfer crystals onto MiTeGen micromeshes with minimal solvent. Once mounted on a micromesh, each crystal can be combined with different chemicals such as crystal-improving additives or a fragment library. Acoustic crystal mounting is fast (2.33 transfers s(-1)) and all transfers occur in a sealed environment that is in vapor equilibrium with the mother liquor. Here, a system is presented to retain crystals near the ejection point and away from the inaccessible dead volume at the bottom of the well by placing the crystals on a concave agarose pedestal (CAP) with the same chemical composition as the crystal mother liquor. The bowl-shaped CAP is impenetrable to crystals. Consequently, gravity will gently move the crystals into the optimal location for acoustic ejection. It is demonstrated that an agarose pedestal of this type is compatible with most commercially available crystallization conditions and that protein crystals are readily transferred from the agarose pedestal onto micromeshes with no loss in diffraction quality. It is also shown that crystals can be grown directly on CAPs, which avoids the need to transfer the crystals from the hanging drop to a CAP. This technology has been used to combine thermolysin and lysozyme crystals with an assortment of anomalously scattering heavy atoms. The results point towards a fast nanolitre method for crystal mounting and high-throughput screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M. Cuttitta
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Center for Developmental Neuroscience and Department of Biology, College of Staten Island, The City University of New York, 2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA
| | - Daniel L. Ericson
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, SUNY, 12 Capen Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Alexander Scalia
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Christian G. Roessler
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Ella Teplitsky
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, USA
| | - Karan Joshi
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering, PEC University of Technology, Chandigarh, India
| | - Olven Campos
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33414, USA
| | - Rakhi Agarwal
- Biosciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Marc Allaire
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Allen M. Orville
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Biosciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Robert M. Sweet
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Alexei S. Soares
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
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Zipper LE, Aristide X, Bishop DP, Joshi I, Kharzeev J, Patel KB, Santiago BM, Joshi K, Dorsinvil K, Sweet RM, Soares AS. A simple technique to reduce evaporation of crystallization droplets by using plate lids with apertures for adding liquids. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2014; 70:1707-13. [PMID: 25484231 PMCID: PMC4259245 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x14025126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Accepted: 11/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A method is described for using plate lids to reduce evaporation in low-volume vapor-diffusion crystallization experiments. The plate lids contain apertures through which the protein and precipitants were added to different crystallization microplates (the reservoir was filled before fitting the lids). Plate lids were designed for each of these commonly used crystallization microplates. This system minimizes the dehydration of crystallization droplets containing just a few nanolitres of protein and precipitant, and results in more reproducible diffraction from the crystals. For each lid design, changes in the weight of the plates were used to deduce the rate of evaporation under different conditions of temperature, air movement, droplet size and precipitant. For comparison, the state of dehydration was also visually assessed throughout the experiment. Finally, X-ray diffraction methods were used to compare the diffraction of protein crystals that were conventionally prepared against those that were prepared on plates with plate lids. The measurements revealed that the plate lids reduced the rate of evaporation by 63-82%. Crystals grown in 5 nl drops that were set up with plate lids diffracted to higher resolution than similar crystals from drops that were set up without plate lids. The results demonstrate that plate lids can be instrumental for improving few-nanolitre crystallizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E. Zipper
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, Vestal, NY 13902, USA
| | - Xavier Aristide
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- North Babylon High School, 1 Phelps Lane North, Babylon, NY 11703, USA
| | - Dylan P. Bishop
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Northport High School, 154 Laurel Hill Road, Northport, NY 11768, USA
| | - Ishita Joshi
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- St Augustine Catholic High School, 2188 Rodick Road, Markham, ON L6C 1S3, Canada
| | - Julia Kharzeev
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Earl L. Vandermeulen High School, 350 Old Post Road, Port Jefferson, NY 11777, USA
| | - Krishna B. Patel
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- John P. Stevens High School, 855 Grove Avenue, Edison, NJ 08820, USA
| | - Brianna M. Santiago
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Connetquot High School, 190 7th Street, Bohemia, NY 11716, USA
| | - Karan Joshi
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering, PEC University of Technology, Chandigarh, India
| | - Kahille Dorsinvil
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Robert M. Sweet
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Biosciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Alexei S. Soares
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
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Sauter NK, Hattne J, Brewster AS, Echols N, Zwart PH, Adams PD. Improved crystal orientation and physical properties from single-shot XFEL stills. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA. SECTION D, BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 2014; 70:3299-309. [PMID: 25478847 PMCID: PMC4257623 DOI: 10.1107/s1399004714024134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Accepted: 11/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
X-ray diffraction patterns from still crystals are inherently difficult to process because the crystal orientation is not uniquely determined by measuring the Bragg spot positions. Only one of the three rotational degrees of freedom is directly coupled to spot positions; the other two rotations move Bragg spots in and out of the reflecting condition but do not change the direction of the diffracted rays. This hinders the ability to recover accurate structure factors from experiments that are dependent on single-shot exposures, such as femtosecond diffract-and-destroy protocols at X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs). Here, additional methods are introduced to optimally model the diffraction. The best orientation is obtained by requiring, for the brightest observed spots, that each reciprocal-lattice point be placed into the exact reflecting condition implied by Bragg's law with a minimal rotation. This approach reduces the experimental uncertainties in noisy XFEL data, improving the crystallographic R factors and sharpening anomalous differences that are near the level of the noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas K. Sauter
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Johan Hattne
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Aaron S. Brewster
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Nathaniel Echols
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Petrus H. Zwart
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Paul D. Adams
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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45
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Soares AS, Mullen JD, Parekh RM, McCarthy GS, Roessler CG, Jackimowicz R, Skinner JM, Orville AM, Allaire M, Sweet RM. Solvent minimization induces preferential orientation and crystal clustering in serial micro-crystallography on micro-meshes, in situ plates and on a movable crystal conveyor belt. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2014; 21:1231-9. [PMID: 25343789 PMCID: PMC4211130 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577514017731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2013] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
X-ray diffraction data were obtained at the National Synchrotron Light Source from insulin and lysozyme crystals that were densely deposited on three types of surfaces suitable for serial micro-crystallography: MiTeGen MicroMeshes™, Greiner Bio-One Ltd in situ micro-plates, and a moving kapton crystal conveyor belt that is used to deliver crystals directly into the X-ray beam. 6° wedges of data were taken from ∼100 crystals mounted on each material, and these individual data sets were merged to form nine complete data sets (six from insulin crystals and three from lysozyme crystals). Insulin crystals have a parallelepiped habit with an extended flat face that preferentially aligned with the mounting surfaces, impacting the data collection strategy and the design of the serial crystallography apparatus. Lysozyme crystals had a cuboidal habit and showed no preferential orientation. Preferential orientation occluded regions of reciprocal space when the X-ray beam was incident normal to the data-collection medium surface, requiring a second pass of data collection with the apparatus inclined away from the orthogonal. In addition, crystals measuring less than 20 µm were observed to clump together into clusters of crystals. Clustering required that the X-ray beam be adjusted to match the crystal size to prevent overlapping diffraction patterns. No additional problems were encountered with the serial crystallography strategy of combining small randomly oriented wedges of data from a large number of specimens. High-quality data able to support a realistic molecular replacement solution were readily obtained from both crystal types using all three serial crystallography strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei S. Soares
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Mullen
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
- Physics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1274, USA
| | - Ruchi M. Parekh
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
- Suffolk County Community College, Selden, NY 11784, USA
| | - Grace S. McCarthy
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | | | - Rick Jackimowicz
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - John M. Skinner
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - Allen M. Orville
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
- Biosciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - Marc Allaire
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - Robert M. Sweet
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
- Biosciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
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46
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Cole K, Roessler CG, Mulé EA, Benson-Xu EJ, Mullen JD, Le BA, Tieman AM, Birone C, Brown M, Hernandez J, Neff S, Williams D, Allaire M, Orville AM, Sweet RM, Soares AS. A linear relationship between crystal size and fragment binding time observed crystallographically: implications for fragment library screening using acoustic droplet ejection. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101036. [PMID: 24988328 PMCID: PMC4079544 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
High throughput screening technologies such as acoustic droplet ejection (ADE) greatly increase the rate at which X-ray diffraction data can be acquired from crystals. One promising high throughput screening application of ADE is to rapidly combine protein crystals with fragment libraries. In this approach, each fragment soaks into a protein crystal either directly on data collection media or on a moving conveyor belt which then delivers the crystals to the X-ray beam. By simultaneously handling multiple crystals combined with fragment specimens, these techniques relax the automounter duty-cycle bottleneck that currently prevents optimal exploitation of third generation synchrotrons. Two factors limit the speed and scope of projects that are suitable for fragment screening using techniques such as ADE. Firstly, in applications where the high throughput screening apparatus is located inside the X-ray station (such as the conveyor belt system described above), the speed of data acquisition is limited by the time required for each fragment to soak into its protein crystal. Secondly, in applications where crystals are combined with fragments directly on data acquisition media (including both of the ADE methods described above), the maximum time that fragments have to soak into crystals is limited by evaporative dehydration of the protein crystals during the fragment soak. Here we demonstrate that both of these problems can be minimized by using small crystals, because the soak time required for a fragment hit to attain high occupancy depends approximately linearly on crystal size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystal Cole
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
- Purchase College, State University of New York, Purchase, New York, United States of America
| | - Christian G. Roessler
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth A. Mulé
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
- Freeport High School, Freeport, New York, United States of America
| | - Emma J. Benson-Xu
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
- Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey D. Mullen
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
- Physics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Benjamin A. Le
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Alanna M. Tieman
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Claire Birone
- Babylon Junior-Senior High School, Babylon, New York, United States of America
| | - Maria Brown
- Sayville High School, West Sayville, New York, United States of America
| | - Jesus Hernandez
- Queens Metropolitan High School, Forest Hills, New York, United States of America
| | - Sherry Neff
- Shoreham-Wading River High School, Shoreham, New York, United States of America
| | - Daniel Williams
- Shelter Island High School, Shelter Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Marc Allaire
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
| | - Allen M. Orville
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
- Biosciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
| | - Robert M. Sweet
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
- Biosciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
| | - Alexei S. Soares
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Accardo A, Di Fabrizio E, Limongi T, Marinaro G, Riekel C. Probing droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces by synchrotron radiation scattering techniques. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2014; 21:643-53. [PMID: 24971957 PMCID: PMC4073955 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577514009849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Accepted: 05/01/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Droplets on artificially structured superhydrophobic surfaces represent quasi contact-free sample environments which can be probed by X-ray microbeams and nanobeams in the absence of obstructing walls. This review will discuss basic surface wettability concepts and introduce the technology of structuring surfaces. Quasi contact-free droplets are compared with contact-free droplets; processes related to deposition and evaporation on solid surfaces are discussed. Droplet coalescence based on the electrowetting effect allows the probing of short-time mixing and reaction processes. The review will show for several materials of biological interest that structural processes related to conformational changes, nucleation and assembly during droplet evaporation can be spatially and temporally resolved by raster-scan diffraction techniques. Orientational ordering of anisotropic materials deposited during solidification at pinning sites facilitates the interpretation of structural data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Accardo
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Enzo Di Fabrizio
- Physical Science and Engineering Divisions, KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, BIONEM Lab at University Magna Graecia, Campus Salvatore Venuta, Viale Europa 88100, Germaneto-Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Tania Limongi
- Physical Science and Engineering Divisions, KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Giovanni Marinaro
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, Genova 16163, Italy
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, BP 220, 38043 Grenoble Cedex, France
| | - Christian Riekel
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, BP 220, 38043 Grenoble Cedex, France
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Héroux A, Allaire M, Buono R, Cowan ML, Dvorak J, Flaks L, LaMarra S, Myers SF, Orville AM, Robinson HH, Roessler CG, Schneider DK, Shea-McCarthy G, Skinner JM, Skinner M, Soares AS, Sweet RM, Berman LE. Macromolecular crystallography beamline X25 at the NSLS. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2014; 21:627-32. [PMID: 24763654 PMCID: PMC3998817 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577514003415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2013] [Accepted: 02/14/2014] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Beamline X25 at the NSLS is one of the five beamlines dedicated to macromolecular crystallography operated by the Brookhaven National Laboratory Macromolecular Crystallography Research Resource group. This mini-gap insertion-device beamline has seen constant upgrades for the last seven years in order to achieve mini-beam capability down to 20 µm × 20 µm. All major components beginning with the radiation source, and continuing along the beamline and its experimental hutch, have changed to produce a state-of-the-art facility for the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Héroux
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Marc Allaire
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Richard Buono
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Matthew L. Cowan
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Joseph Dvorak
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Leon Flaks
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Steven LaMarra
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Stuart F. Myers
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Allen M. Orville
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Howard H. Robinson
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Christian G. Roessler
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Dieter K. Schneider
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Grace Shea-McCarthy
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - John M. Skinner
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Michael Skinner
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Alexei S. Soares
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Robert M. Sweet
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Lonny E. Berman
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, PO Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Correspondence e-mail:
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49
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Yin X, Scalia A, Leroy L, Cuttitta CM, Polizzo GM, Ericson DL, Roessler CG, Campos O, Ma MY, Agarwal R, Jackimowicz R, Allaire M, Orville AM, Sweet RM, Soares AS. Hitting the target: fragment screening with acoustic in situ co-crystallization of proteins plus fragment libraries on pin-mounted data-collection micromeshes. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA. SECTION D, BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 2014; 70:1177-89. [PMID: 24816088 PMCID: PMC4014116 DOI: 10.1107/s1399004713034603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2013] [Accepted: 12/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Acoustic droplet ejection (ADE) is a powerful technology that supports crystallographic applications such as growing, improving and manipulating protein crystals. A fragment-screening strategy is described that uses ADE to co-crystallize proteins with fragment libraries directly on MiTeGen MicroMeshes. Co-crystallization trials can be prepared rapidly and economically. The high speed of specimen preparation and the low consumption of fragment and protein allow the use of individual rather than pooled fragments. The Echo 550 liquid-handling instrument (Labcyte Inc., Sunnyvale, California, USA) generates droplets with accurate trajectories, which allows multiple co-crystallization experiments to be discretely positioned on a single data-collection micromesh. This accuracy also allows all components to be transferred through small apertures. Consequently, the crystallization tray is in equilibrium with the reservoir before, during and after the transfer of protein, precipitant and fragment to the micromesh on which crystallization will occur. This strict control of the specimen environment means that the crystallography experiments remain identical as the working volumes are decreased from the few microlitres level to the few nanolitres level. Using this system, lysozyme, thermolysin, trypsin and stachydrine demethylase crystals were co-crystallized with a small 33-compound mini-library to search for fragment hits. This technology pushes towards a much faster, more automated and more flexible strategy for structure-based drug discovery using as little as 2.5 nl of each major component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Yin
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, NY 11794-5215, USA
- Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China
| | - Alexander Scalia
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, NY 13902, USA
| | - Ludmila Leroy
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, 70040-020 Brasilia-DF, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 6627 Av. Antonio Carlos, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil
| | - Christina M. Cuttitta
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Center for Developmental Neuroscience and Department of Biology, College of Staten Island, The City University of New York, 2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA
| | - Gina M. Polizzo
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- St Joseph’s College, 155 West Roe Boulevard, East Patchogue, NY 11772, USA
| | - Daniel L. Ericson
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, SUNY, 12 Capen Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Christian G. Roessler
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Olven Campos
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33414, USA
| | - Millie Y. Ma
- Office of Educational Programs, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Comsewogue High School, 565 Bicycle Path, Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776, USA
| | - Rakhi Agarwal
- Biosciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Rick Jackimowicz
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Marc Allaire
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Allen M. Orville
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
- Biosciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Robert M. Sweet
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
| | - Alexei S. Soares
- Photon Sciences Directorate, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
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50
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Deller MC, Rupp B. Approaches to automated protein crystal harvesting. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2014; 70:133-55. [PMID: 24637746 PMCID: PMC3936438 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x14000387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The harvesting of protein crystals is almost always a necessary step in the determination of a protein structure using X-ray crystallographic techniques. However, protein crystals are usually fragile and susceptible to damage during the harvesting process. For this reason, protein crystal harvesting is the single step that remains entirely dependent on skilled human intervention. Automation has been implemented in the majority of other stages of the structure-determination pipeline, including cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and data collection. The gap in automation between crystallization and data collection results in a bottleneck in throughput and presents unfortunate opportunities for crystal damage. Several automated protein crystal harvesting systems have been developed, including systems utilizing microcapillaries, microtools, microgrippers, acoustic droplet ejection and optical traps. However, these systems have yet to be commonly deployed in the majority of crystallography laboratories owing to a variety of technical and cost-related issues. Automation of protein crystal harvesting remains essential for harnessing the full benefits of fourth-generation synchrotrons, free-electron lasers and microfocus beamlines. Furthermore, automation of protein crystal harvesting offers several benefits when compared with traditional manual approaches, including the ability to harvest microcrystals, improved flash-cooling procedures and increased throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc C. Deller
- The Joint Center for Structural Genomics, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Bernhard Rupp
- Department of Forensic Crystallography, k.-k. Hofkristallamt, 991 Audrey Place, Vista, CA 92084, USA
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology, Innsbruck Medical University, Schöpfstrasse 41, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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