Protein crystallography and X-ray diffraction facility | Biomedical and Molecular Sciences | School of Medicine

This facility provides the necessary equipment and support for generating and screening crystals of proteins and for collecting single crystal x-ray diffraction data. Users can be trained to set up small drop, volume screening trays themselves or have a staff member set up a tray for you. Trays, crystallization screens, crystal mounts and loops, as well as liquid nitrogen for low temperature crystal storage are available to users. Users can be trained to mount crystals, collect X-ray diffraction images, process data, and determine protein structures. Trained users can gain certification to access and use the equipment independently.

The X-ray diffractometer consists of a Rigaku MicroMax-007 HF rotating-anode X-ray generator equipped with a chromium target and an R-AXIS IV++ image-plate detector. In addition to native diffraction data collection for structure determination by molecular replacement, this system allows collection of anomalous diffraction data from light-heavy atoms like sulfur, selenium, and calcium to allow phase determination and structure elucidation by the SAD method. The system is equipment with an inverted Phi goniometer for straightforward crystal mounting and unmounting for cryopreservation and has a Rigaku X-stream 2000 cryo-cooling device to protect crystals from X-ray damage during data collection.

Available crystal screens include:

Booking

Contact: John Allingham (allinghj@queensu.ca)

Location

Botterell Hall, Room 635A

Contact

If you have any questions you can contact Dr. John Allingham at allinghj@queensu.ca or 613-533-3137 ext. 33137