Open AccessPrimary radiation damage of protein crystals by an intense synchrotron X‐ray beam
Author(s) -
Teng Tsuyi,
Moffat Keith
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of synchrotron radiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.172
H-Index - 99
ISSN - 1600-5775
DOI - 10.1107/s0909049500008694
Subject(s) - radiation damage , radiation , synchrotron radiation , crystal (programming language) , x ray , monochromatic color , irradiation , optics , scattering , beam (structure) , photon , diffraction , physics , materials science , atomic physics , nuclear physics , computer science , programming language
X‐ray radiation damage of a lysozyme single crystal by an intense monochromatic beam from a third‐generation radiation source at the Advanced Photon Source has been studied. The results show that primary radiation damage is linearly dependent on the X‐ray dose even when the crystal is at cryogenic temperatures. The existence of an upper limit for the primary radiation damage was observed. Above the threshold of approximately 1 × 10 7 Gy, excessive damage of the crystal develops which is interpreted as the onset of secondary and/or tertiary radiation damage. This upper limit of X‐ray dose is compared with Henderson's limit [Henderson (1990). Proc. R. Soc. London , B 241 , 6–8], and its implication for the amount of useful X‐ray diffraction data that can be obtained for crystals of a given scattering power is also discussed.