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Fixed target combined with spectral mapping: approaching 100% hit rates for serial crystallography
Author(s) -
Oghbaey Saeed,
Sarracini Antoine,
Ginn Helen M.,
Pare-Labrosse Olivier,
Kuo Anling,
Marx Alexander,
Epp Sascha W.,
Sherrell Darren A.,
Eger Bryan T.,
Zhong Yinpeng,
Loch Rolf,
Mariani Valerio,
Alonso-Mori Roberto,
Nelson Silke,
Lemke Henrik T.,
Owen Robin L.,
Pearson Arwen R.,
Stuart David I.,
Ernst Oliver P.,
Mueller-Werkmeister Henrike M.,
Miller R. J. Dwayne
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acta crystallographica section d
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.374
H-Index - 138
ISSN - 2059-7983
DOI - 10.1107/s2059798316010834
Subject(s) - femtosecond , ultrashort pulse , fiducial marker , laser , computer science , materials science , visualization , optics , physics , data mining , artificial intelligence
The advent of ultrafast highly brilliant coherent X‐ray free‐electron laser sources has driven the development of novel structure‐determination approaches for proteins, and promises visualization of protein dynamics on sub‐picosecond timescales with full atomic resolution. Significant efforts are being applied to the development of sample‐delivery systems that allow these unique sources to be most efficiently exploited for high‐throughput serial femtosecond crystallography. Here, the next iteration of a fixed‐target crystallography chip designed for rapid and reliable delivery of up to 11 259 protein crystals with high spatial precision is presented. An experimental scheme for predetermining the positions of crystals in the chip by means of in situ spectroscopy using a fiducial system for rapid, precise alignment and registration of the crystal positions is presented. This delivers unprecedented performance in serial crystallography experiments at room temperature under atmospheric pressure, giving a raw hit rate approaching 100% with an effective indexing rate of approximately 50%, increasing the efficiency of beam usage and allowing the method to be applied to systems where the number of crystals is limited.