Open AccessThe design of macromolecular crystallography diffraction experiments
Author(s) -
Evans Gwyndaf,
Axford Danny,
Owen Robin L.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
acta crystallographica section d
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1399-0047
DOI - 10.1107/s0907444911007608
Subject(s) - beamline , diffraction , synchrotron , x ray crystallography , sample (material) , optics , materials science , crystallography , crystal (programming language) , macro , computer science , physics , chemistry , beam (structure) , chromatography , programming language
The measurement of X‐ray diffraction data from macromolecular crystals for the purpose of structure determination is the convergence of two processes: the preparation of diffraction‐quality crystal samples on the one hand and the construction and optimization of an X‐ray beamline and end station on the other. Like sample preparation, a macromolecular crystallography beamline is geared to obtaining the best possible diffraction measurements from crystals provided by the synchrotron user. This paper describes the thoughts behind an experiment that fully exploits both the sample and the beamline and how these map into everyday decisions that users can and should make when visiting a beamline with their most precious crystals.