DARTS for Protein Crystallography
Crystallography is the technique of choice for determining protein structures. The collimated high flux of X-rays at the SRS produces good resolution for samples with large unit cells and also enables small or weakly diffracting crystals to be studied. MAD experiments are easily accomplished using the unique tuneable wavelength capability and state-of-the-art detector technology enables high-speed data collection.
The protein crystallography group at Daresbury supports four experimental stations that are optimised to enable the study of very small or weakly diffracting samples. All stations are equipped with sophisticated optical, mechanical and electronic equipment to ensure a small X-ray beam intersects with a similarly sized protein crystal (~0.2 mm). In addition, all stations have cooling systems for data collection at temperatures as low as 100K.
Recent developments include the installation of an ACTOR robotic system on station 14.2, and MAD10 which is available to DARTS customers for structural genomics and proteomics.
DARTS offers a full service for its protein crystallography customers from crystallisation through to structure solution and refinement. We can also supply just the data if that is required.
A recent publication arising from full service PX is:
Stable, Soluble T-cell Receptor Molecules for Crystallization and Therapeutics
J.M. Boulter, M. Glick, P.T. Todorov, E. Baston, M. Sami, P. Rizkallah, B.K.
Jakobsen
Protein Engineering, 16, 707-711, (2003)