Work

Graphene as a protein crystal mounting material to reduce background scatter

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: The overall signal-to-noise ratio per unit dose for X-ray diffraction data from protein crystals can be improved by reducing the mass and density of all material surrounding the crystals. This article demonstrates a path towards the practical ultimate in background reduction by use of atomically thin graphene sheets as a crystal mounting platform for protein crystals. The results show the potential for graphene in protein crystallography and other cases where X-ray scatter from the mounting material must be reduced and specimen dehydration prevented, such as in coherent X-ray diffraction imaging of microscopic objects.

Source: Journal of Applied Crystallography

DOI: 10.1107/s002188981301786x

Authors: Jennifer L. Wierman, Jonathan S. Alden, Chae Un Kim, Paul L. McEuen, Sol M. Gruner

Institutions: Cornell University, Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source

Language: English

Topic: Enzyme Structure and Function

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: U.S. Public Health Service, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Awards: Training in Molecular Physics of Biological Systems, Macromolecular Diffraction Resource: MacCHESS