Improved radiation dose efficiency in solution SAXS using a sheath flow sample environment. Issue 12 (5th December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kirby, Nigel; Cowieson, Nathan; Hawley, Adrian M.; Mudie, Stephen T.; McGillivray, Duncan J.; Kusel, Michael; Samardzic-Boban, Vesna; Ryan, Timothy M.
• Is Part Of: Acta crystallographica. Volume 72:Issue 12(2016)
• Page Start: 1254
• Page End: 1266
• Publication Date: 2016-12-05
• Subjects: radiation damage -- solution SAXS -- sheath flow; X-ray crystallography -- Periodicals; Crystallography -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Molecular structure -- Periodicals; Biomolecules -- Structure -- Periodicals; Cytology -- Periodicals; Biomolecules -- Structure; Crystallography; Cytology; Molecular biology; Molecular structure; X-ray crystallography; Periodicals; 548
• DOI: 10.1107/S2059798316017174
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2059-7983

Abstract

Abstract : Coflow is a new method for delivering radiation‐sensitive biological and other solution‐based samples to high‐brightness X‐ray beamlines that exploits laminar flow to ameliorate radiation‐damage limitations and provides a host of practical improvements associated with these types of experiments. Abstract : Radiation damage is a major limitation to synchrotron small‐angle X‐ray scattering analysis of biomacromolecules. Flowing the sample during exposure helps to reduce the problem, but its effectiveness in the laminar‐flow regime is limited by slow flow velocity at the walls of sample cells. To overcome this limitation, the coflow method was developed, where the sample flows through the centre of its cell surrounded by a flow of matched buffer. The method permits an order‐of‐magnitude increase of X‐ray incident flux before sample damage, improves measurement statistics and maintains low sample concentration limits. The method also efficiently handles sample volumes of a few microlitres, can increase sample throughput, is intrinsically resistant to capillary fouling by sample and is suited to static samples and size‐exclusion chromatography applications. The method unlocks further potential of third‐generation synchrotron beamlines to facilitate new and challenging applications in solution scattering.