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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 6, 2025

$Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene$

Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene

Published on: August 22, 2017

Dynamic Structural Biology Experiments at XFEL or Synchrotron Sources.

Pierre Aller¹, Allen M Orville²

¹Diamond Light Source Ltd, Didcot, UK.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|May 5, 2021

Summary

New X-ray-free electron laser (XFEL) technologies enable serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) for high-resolution biological studies. This method uses intense X-ray pulses to capture diffraction patterns from microcrystals, advancing life science research.

Keywords:

Metalloenzymes Microcrystal slurry Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX)Time-resolved macromolecular crystallography X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES)X-ray-free electron laser (XFEL )

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Published on: April 24, 2018

Fully Autonomous Characterization and Data Collection from Crystals of Biological Macromolecules

Fully Autonomous Characterization and Data Collection from Crystals of Biological Macromolecules

Published on: March 22, 2019

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Last Updated: Nov 6, 2025

$Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene$

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Published on: August 22, 2017

$Microfluidic Chips for In Situ Crystal X-ray Diffraction and In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering for Serial Crystallography$

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Published on: April 24, 2018

Fully Autonomous Characterization and Data Collection from Crystals of Biological Macromolecules

Fully Autonomous Characterization and Data Collection from Crystals of Biological Macromolecules

Published on: March 22, 2019

Area of Science:

Biophysics
Structural Biology
Biochemistry

Background:

Macromolecular crystallography (MX) uses physics and chemistry to understand biological systems.
Synchrotrons have been primary tools for X-ray diffraction data collection.
X-ray-free electron lasers (XFELs) offer significantly higher brightness and femtosecond pulses.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the application of XFELs for advanced macromolecular crystallography.
To detail serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) strategies using XFELs.
To discuss emerging time-resolved SFX methods for studying biological processes.

Main Methods:

Utilizing X-ray-free electron lasers (XFELs) for high-intensity, short-pulse X-ray generation.
Employing serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) with microcrystal slurries.
Implementing sample delivery systems for rapid crystal delivery into the X-ray beam.
Developing time-resolved data collection strategies triggered by light or chemical mixing.

Main Results:

SFX enables diffraction data collection from individual microcrystals before destruction by intense X-ray pulses.
XFELs provide unprecedented brightness for femtosecond-scale structural analysis.
Adaptations allow for time-resolved studies at physiological temperatures, capturing dynamic biological processes.

Conclusions:

XFELs and SFX offer powerful new avenues for high temporal and spatial resolution structural biology.
Microcrystal slurry preparation and sample delivery are critical for successful SFX experiments.
Emerging time-resolved SFX strategies open doors to studying biological functions in action.