IUCrSources

This report describes complete practical guidelines and insights for the crystalline sponge method, which have been derived through the first use of synchrotron radiation on these systems, and includes a procedure for faster synthesis of the sponges. These guidelines will be applicable to crystal sponge data collected at synchrotrons or in-house facilities, and will allow researchers to obtain reliable high-quality data and construct chemically and physically sensible models for guest structural determination.

The new generation of synchrotron radiation light sources will drive analytical methods for the determination of the structure and function of molecules and crystals towards new limits in sample size and temporal resolution.

A method for performing high-throughput in situ serial X-ray crystallography with soluble and membrane proteins in the lipid cubic phase is described. It works with microgram quantities of protein and lipid (and ligand when present) and is compatible with the most demanding sulfur SAD phasing.

The advent of hard X-ray free-electron lasers has opened a new chapter in macromolecular crystallography. Recent results, developments and prospects of serial femtosecond crystallography are described.

An integrated environment for biological small-angle X-ray scattering (BioSAXS) at the high-brilliance P12 synchrotron beamline of the EMBL (DESY, Hamburg) allows for a broad range of solution scattering experiments. Automated hardware and software systems have been designed to ensure that data collection and processing are efficient, streamlined and user friendly.

Bragg spots recorded from a still crystal necessarily give partial measurements of the structure factor intensity. Correction to the full-spot equivalent, relying on both a physical model for crystal disorder and postrefinement of the crystal orientation, improves the electron density map in serial crystallography.

A description of the KWS-1 small-angle neutron scattering diffractometer at the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) and its scientific application is provided.

High-dose serial femtosecond crystallography experiments were performed on microcrystals of the metalloprotein ferredoxin. Indications of radiation damage to the two [4Fe-4S] clusters are observed.

Neutron crystallography and sub-atomic X-ray crystallography complement each other in defining hydrogen positions in macromolecules. Significant advances have been made but much effort is still required if neutron crystallography is to become a mainstream activity.

In list mode metadata can be included in the neutron event stream in order to achieve high time resolution of neutron scattering experiments in repeatable processes. Combining large amplitude oscillatory shear rheology and reflectometry illustrates the advantages and limitations of this new technique.

X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography imaging based on the Talbot grating interferometer is described, and the way it can visualize the polyglycolic acid scaffold, including its microfibres, after implantation into the injured spinal cord is shown.