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Operator‐assisted harvesting of protein crystals using a universal micromanipulation robot
Author(s) -
Viola Robert,
Carman Peter,
Walsh Jace,
Miller Echo,
Benning Matthew,
Frankel Daniel,
Cudney Bob,
McPherson Alexander,
Rupp Bernhard
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of applied crystallography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.429
H-Index - 162
ISSN - 1600-5767
DOI - 10.1107/s0021889807012149
Subject(s) - automation , protein crystallization , flexibility (engineering) , robot , crystallization , operator (biology) , computer science , throughput , computer hardware , mechanical engineering , artificial intelligence , engineering , chemistry , mathematics , operating system , chemical engineering , biochemistry , statistics , repressor , transcription factor , wireless , gene
High‐throughput crystallography has reached a level of automation where complete computer‐assisted robotic crystallization pipelines are capable of cocktail preparation, crystallization plate setup, and inspection and interpretation of results. While mounting of crystal pins, data collection and structure solution are highly automated, crystal harvesting and cryocooling remain formidable challenges towards full automation. To address the final frontier in achieving fully automated high‐throughput crystallography, the prototype of an anthropomorphic six‐axis universal micromanipulation robot (UMR) has been designed and tested; this UMR is capable of operator‐assisted harvesting and cryoquenching of protein crystals as small as 10 µm from a variety of 96‐well plates. The UMR is equipped with a versatile tool exchanger providing full operational flexibility. Trypsin crystals harvested and cryoquenched using the UMR have yielded a 1.5 Å structure demonstrating the feasibility of robotic protein crystal harvesting.