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X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples01:10

X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples

X-ray diffraction or XRD is an analytical tool that utilizes X-rays to study ordered structures such as crystalline organic and inorganic samples, polycrystalline materials, proteins, carbohydrates, and drugs.
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X-ray lasers for structural and dynamic biology.

J C H Spence1, U Weierstall, H N Chapman

  • 1Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. spence@asu.edu

Reports on Progress in Physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)
|September 15, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Hard X-ray pulsed free-electron lasers (XFEL) enable new structural biology techniques like imaging protein nanocrystals and viruses. Femtosecond pulses minimize radiation damage, allowing molecular imaging of reactions at room temperature.

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Area of Science:

  • Structural Biology
  • Biophysics
  • X-ray Science

Background:

  • Hard X-ray pulsed free-electron lasers (XFEL) offer unprecedented brightness and short pulse durations.
  • Traditional structural biology methods face limitations in resolving dynamic processes and radiation damage.
  • Advancements in XFEL technology open new avenues for studying biological molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review research opportunities and techniques for applying hard X-ray pulsed free-electron lasers (XFEL) in structural biology.
  • To highlight novel applications including imaging protein nanocrystals, single particles, and time-resolved experiments.
  • To discuss new data analysis approaches and phase problem solutions for XFEL data.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing femtosecond exposure times to minimize radiation damage via a 'diffract-and-destroy' approach.
  • Employing methods for delivering hydrated bioparticles to the X-ray beam for analysis.
  • Applying new data analysis techniques for fast wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and nanocrystal diffraction.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated atomic resolution for protein nanocrystals.
  • Enabled molecular imaging of biochemical reactions at room temperature in solution.
  • Showcased possibilities for time-resolved chemistry using solution scattering.

Conclusions:

  • Hard X-ray XFEL techniques provide powerful new tools for structural biology.
  • Femtosecond XFEL imaging minimizes radiation damage, facilitating room-temperature studies of dynamic processes.
  • Future applications include creating 'molecular movies' of biochemical processes.