Year: 2002
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: A high-throughput, general purpose robotic system has been developed which transports flash-cooled crystals securely and safely, automatically mounts crystals on most goniometers, optically centers them in the x-ray beam, screens for diffraction quality, collects and processes diffraction images, recovers the crystals and stores them in a liquid nitrogen dewar. The system is a refinement of the proven actor system from abbott laboratories [1]. Magnetic crystal storage and transport magazines are designed to hold up to 60 crystals in a standard dry shipper with easy access to any of the positions. The system is based on a general purpose 5-axis programmable robot that allows the system to be used in an infinite number of configurations including horizontal, vertical or virtually any other goniometer axis orientation. The unique non-magnetic end-effector securely grips standard hampton pins and places them on a glide goniometer magnet without the need to move cryosystream nozzles or beam stops. The glide goniometer translates the crystal 3 mm in all directions in as little as 2 micron increments for centering. All operations are controlled by director, a software tool which totally automates the high-throughput process of selection, centering, screening, collection and retrieval of crystals. The entire procedure has been optimized for high-throughput crystallography at synchrotron beamlines and in the home lab.
Authors: J. W. Pflugrath, R. Athay, D. P. Edwards, T. J. Niemeyer, T. L. Hendrixson, A. R. Criswell, C. Yang, G. K. Crane, J. D. Ferrara, T. Nienaber, W. Robertson, R. Schafer
Language: English
Subfield: Structural Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1997493838