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