Time-Resolved Crystallography of Proteins at the laser driven X-ray sources in ELI beamlines

Borislav Angelov*, Miroslav Kloz,  and Jakob Andreasson

ELI Beamlines, Fyzikalni ustav, A.V.C.R., Prague, Czech Republic,

borislav.angelov@eli-beams.eu

 

The developments of novel X-ray sources will allow for time resolved X-ray scattering and diffraction on a femtosecond to millisecond time scale. The utilization of femtosecond laser pulses for the generation of X-rays from plasma opens new opportunities in the structural studies of fast kinetical processes in proteins. This new technology is different from the principles of operation employed at free electron lasers and synchrotrons.  The ELI beamlines facility that is planned to start operation by the end of 2016 in Dolni Brezany, Czech Republic will give a unique advantage for time resolved crystallography. The generated pulses will span approx. 100 fs with a repetition rate of 1 kHz. The scattered and diffracted by the protein crystal X-rays will be counted using a Dectris Eiger 1M area detector which operates at the same frame rate as the source, i.e. 1 kHz. Such setup can be combined with several pump probe lasers to study the fast kinetics for example in photoproteins. For obtaining a crystallographic image several pulses will be necessary due to the low flux, nevertheless, serial femtosecond crystallography is becoming feasible.

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