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Coherent diffractive imaging of microtubules using an X-ray laser.

Coherent diffractive imaging of microtubules using an X-ray laser.

Authors :
Brändén G
Hammarin G
Harimoorthy R
Johansson A
Arnlund D
Malmerberg E
Barty A
Tångefjord S
Berntsen P
DePonte DP
Seuring C
White TA
Stellato F
Bean R
Beyerlein KR
Chavas LMG
Fleckenstein H
Gati C
Ghoshdastider U
Gumprecht L
Oberthür D
Popp D
Seibert M
Tilp T
Messerschmidt M
Williams GJ
Loh ND
Chapman HN
Zwart P
Liang M
Boutet S
Robinson RC
Neutze R
Source :
Nature communications [Nat Commun] 2019 Jun 13; Vol. 10 (1), pp. 2589. Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 Jun 13.
Publication Year :
2019

Abstract

X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) create new possibilities for structural studies of biological objects that extend beyond what is possible with synchrotron radiation. Serial femtosecond crystallography has allowed high-resolution structures to be determined from micro-meter sized crystals, whereas single particle coherent X-ray imaging requires development to extend the resolution beyond a few tens of nanometers. Here we describe an intermediate approach: the XFEL imaging of biological assemblies with helical symmetry. We collected X-ray scattering images from samples of microtubules injected across an XFEL beam using a liquid microjet, sorted these images into class averages, merged these data into a diffraction pattern extending to 2 nm resolution, and reconstructed these data into a projection image of the microtubule. Details such as the 4 nm tubulin monomer became visible in this reconstruction. These results illustrate the potential of single-molecule X-ray imaging of biological assembles with helical symmetry at room temperature.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2041-1723
Volume :
10
Issue :
1
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Nature communications
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
31197138
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10448-x