Evaluation of a crystallization drop by a diffraction imaging method, and automated optimization of crystallization conditions

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14686
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Structural biochemistry
• Research Institution: High Energy Accelerator Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: Yamada Yusuke 大学共同利用機関法人高エネルギー加速器研究機構, 物質構造科学研究所, 助教 (20391708)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: タンパク質X線結晶構造解析 / 放射光 / 自動化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Protein crystallography is one of the most powerful techniques to determine three-dimensional structures of proteins at the atomic resolution.
In this study, a new imaging method of a protein crystallization drop has been developed. In this method, a crystallization drop is scanned with a tiny X-ray beam at a synchrotron radiation beamline, and a diffraction image from each position is recorded. The diffraction image is processed and resulted value is mapped to the position where the diffraction image is recorded. As the result, positions, shape, number and diffractivities of protein crystals in the drop are imaged. The trial of clarifying the relationship between the image obtained by the new method and the crystallization condition has been started.

Free Research Field

タンパク質X線結晶構造解析

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで結晶化ドロップの観察では可視光などを用いて、結晶の形状に関する情報のみが得られていた。本研究で開発した回折イメージング法を用いることで、結晶の形状だけでなく、X線回折能の情報まで取得することが出来る。この情報は構造解析の結果に直結するものであり、結晶化条件探索から構造決定までの工程をシームレスに連携させることで、学術には重要だが解析困難なタンパク質での構造解析を可能にすることが期待できる。