scholarly journals Nanosecond pump–probe device for time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography developed at SACLA

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 1086-1091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minoru Kubo ◽  
Eriko Nango ◽  
Kensuke Tono ◽  
Tetsunari Kimura ◽  
Shigeki Owada ◽  
...  

X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) have opened new opportunities for time-resolved X-ray crystallography. Here a nanosecond optical-pump XFEL-probe device developed for time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (TR-SFX) studies of photo-induced reactions in proteins at the SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free-electron LAser (SACLA) is reported. The optical-fiber-based system is a good choice for a quick setup in a limited beam time and allows pump illumination from two directions to achieve high excitation efficiency of protein microcrystals. Two types of injectors are used: one for extruding highly viscous samples such as lipidic cubic phase (LCP) and the other for pulsed liquid droplets. Under standard sample flow conditions from the viscous-sample injector, delay times from nanoseconds to tens of milliseconds are accessible, typical time scales required to study large protein conformational changes. A first demonstration of a TR-SFX experiment on bacteriorhodopsin in bicelle using a setup with a droplet-type injector is also presented.

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (24) ◽  
pp. 5505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eriko Nango ◽  
Minoru Kubo ◽  
Kensuke Tono ◽  
So Iwata

Structural information on protein dynamics is a critical factor in fully understanding the protein functions. Pump-probe time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (TR-SFX) is a recently established technique for visualizing the structural changes or reactions in proteins that are at work with high spatial and temporal resolution. In the pump-probe method, protein microcrystals are continuously delivered from an injector and exposed to an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) pulse after a trigger to initiate a reaction, such as light, chemicals, temperature, and electric field, which affords the structural snapshots of intermediates that occur in the protein. We are in the process of developing the device and techniques for pump-probe TR-SFX while using XFEL produced at SPring-8 Angstrom Compact Free-Electron Laser (SACLA). In this paper, we described our current development details and data collection strategies for the optical pump X-ray probe TR-SFX experiment at SACLA and then reported the techniques of in crystallo TR spectroscopy, which is useful in clarifying the nature of reaction that takes place in crystals in advance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (34) ◽  
pp. eabh0250
Author(s):  
Patrick Rabe ◽  
Jos J. A. G. Kamps ◽  
Kyle D. Sutherlin ◽  
James D. S. Linyard ◽  
Pierre Aller ◽  
...  

Isopenicillin N synthase (IPNS) catalyzes the unique reaction of l-δ-(α-aminoadipoyl)-l-cysteinyl-d-valine (ACV) with dioxygen giving isopenicillin N (IPN), the precursor of all natural penicillins and cephalosporins. X-ray free-electron laser studies including time-resolved crystallography and emission spectroscopy reveal how reaction of IPNS:Fe(II):ACV with dioxygen to yield an Fe(III) superoxide causes differences in active site volume and unexpected conformational changes that propagate to structurally remote regions. Combined with solution studies, the results reveal the importance of protein dynamics in regulating intermediate conformations during conversion of ACV to IPN. The results have implications for catalysis by multiple IPNS-related oxygenases, including those involved in the human hypoxic response, and highlight the power of serial femtosecond crystallography to provide insight into long-range enzyme dynamics during reactions presently impossible for nonprotein catalysts.


Author(s):  
Marius Schmidt ◽  
Suraj Pandey ◽  
Adrian Mancuso ◽  
Richard Bean

Abstract This protocol introduces step by step into the collection of time resolved crystallographic data and their analysis at the European Free Electron Laser.


2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
pp. 529-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert K.Y. Cheng ◽  
Rafael Abela ◽  
Michael Hennig

Past decades have shown the impact of structural information derived from complexes of drug candidates with their protein targets to facilitate the discovery of safe and effective medicines. Despite recent developments in single particle cryo-electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography has been the main method to derive structural information. The unique properties of X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) with unmet peak brilliance and beam focus allow X-ray diffraction data recording and successful structure determination from smaller and weaker diffracting crystals shortening timelines in crystal optimization. To further capitalize on the XFEL advantage, innovations in crystal sample delivery for the X-ray experiment, data collection and processing methods are required. This development was a key contributor to serial crystallography allowing structure determination at room temperature yielding physiologically more relevant structures. Adding the time resolution provided by the femtosecond X-ray pulse will enable monitoring and capturing of dynamic processes of ligand binding and associated conformational changes with great impact to the design of candidate drug compounds.


2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A. Wilson

Directly observing enzyme catalysis in real time at the molecular level has been a long-standing goal of structural enzymology. Time-resolved serial crystallography methods at synchrotron and X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) sources have enabled researchers to follow enzyme catalysis and other nonequilibrium events at ambient conditions with unprecedented time resolution. X-ray crystallography provides detailed information about conformational heterogeneity and protein dynamics, which is enhanced when time-resolved approaches are used. This review outlines the ways in which information about the underlying energy landscape of a protein can be extracted from X-ray crystallographic data, with an emphasis on new developments in XFEL and synchrotron time-resolved crystallography. The emerging view of enzyme catalysis afforded by these techniques can be interpreted as enzymes moving on a time-dependent energy landscape. Some consequences of this view are discussed, including the proposal that irreversible enzymes or enzymes that use covalent catalytic mechanisms may commonly exhibit catalysis-activated motions. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics, Volume 51 is May 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.


Crystals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 628
Author(s):  
Suraj Pandey ◽  
Ishwor Poudyal ◽  
Tek Narsingh Malla

With time-resolved crystallography (TRX), it is possible to follow the reaction dynamics in biological macromolecules by investigating the structure of transient states along the reaction coordinate. X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) have enabled TRX experiments on previously uncharted femtosecond timescales. Here, we review the recent developments, opportunities, and challenges of pump-probe TRX at XFELs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 1094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ki Nam

X-ray crystallographic methods can be used to visualize macromolecules at high resolution. This provides an understanding of molecular mechanisms and an insight into drug development and rational engineering of enzymes used in the industry. Although conventional synchrotron-based X-ray crystallography remains a powerful tool for understanding molecular function, it has experimental limitations, including radiation damage, cryogenic temperature, and static structural information. Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) using X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) and serial millisecond crystallography (SMX) using synchrotron X-ray have recently gained attention as research methods for visualizing macromolecules at room temperature without causing or reducing radiation damage, respectively. These techniques provide more biologically relevant structures than traditional X-ray crystallography at cryogenic temperatures using a single crystal. Serial femtosecond crystallography techniques visualize the dynamics of macromolecules through time-resolved experiments. In serial crystallography (SX), one of the most important aspects is the delivery of crystal samples efficiently, reliably, and continuously to an X-ray interaction point. A viscous delivery medium, such as a carrier matrix, dramatically reduces sample consumption, contributing to the success of SX experiments. This review discusses the preparation and criteria for the selection and development of a sample delivery medium and its application for SX.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Austin Echelmeier ◽  
Jorvani Cruz Villarreal ◽  
Marc Messerschmidt ◽  
Daihyun Kim ◽  
Jesse D. Coe ◽  
...  

Abstract Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) with X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) allows structure determination of membrane proteins and time-resolved crystallography. Common liquid sample delivery continuously jets the protein crystal suspension into the path of the XFEL, wasting a vast amount of sample due to the pulsed nature of all current XFEL sources. The European XFEL (EuXFEL) delivers femtosecond (fs) X-ray pulses in trains spaced 100 ms apart whereas pulses within trains are currently separated by 889 ns. Therefore, continuous sample delivery via fast jets wastes >99% of sample. Here, we introduce a microfluidic device delivering crystal laden droplets segmented with an immiscible oil reducing sample waste and demonstrate droplet injection at the EuXFEL compatible with high pressure liquid delivery of an SFX experiment. While achieving ~60% reduction in sample waste, we determine the structure of the enzyme 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate-8-phosphate synthase from microcrystals delivered in droplets revealing distinct structural features not previously reported.


2016 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 520-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumitaka Mafuné ◽  
Ken Miyajima ◽  
Kensuke Tono ◽  
Yoshihiro Takeda ◽  
Jun-ya Kohno ◽  
...  

A liquid-droplet injector has been developed that delivers pristine microcrystals to an X-ray irradiation area for conducting serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) with an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL). By finely tuning the pulsed liquid droplets in time and space, a high hit rate of the XFEL pulses to microcrystals in the droplets was achieved for measurements using 5 µm tetragonal lysozyme crystals, which produced 4265 indexable diffraction images in about 30 min. The structure was determined at a resolution of 2.3 Å from <0.3 mg of protein. With further improvements such as reduction of the droplet size, liquid droplets have considerable potential as a crystal carrier for SFX with low sample consumption.


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