System allows protein crystals to be rapidly screened with X-rays to determine their diffraction quality prior to X-ray structure determination in the home lab or at a synchrotron beamline
Bruker AXS announces the launch of a new system for high-throughput protein crystal screening.
The new X8 Prospector allows protein crystals to be rapidly screened with X-rays to determine their diffraction quality prior to X-ray structure determination in the home lab or at a synchrotron beamline.
The X8 Prospector combines a highly reliable, low maintenance X-ray source with advanced multi-layer optics and a fast, ultra-sensitive CCD detector to provide exceptional ease-of-use and speed.
Moreover, the X8 Prospector features X-ray source intensity comparable to conventional 5.4kW rotating anode sources with total reflection optics, yet with much reduced cost of ownership.
With the X8 Prospector, crystallographers can rapidly determine the diffraction limit, mosaicity and space group of even extremely small protein crystals, typically in less than five minutes per sample.
Though the X8 Prospector is primarily targeted towards crystal screening it features flexible, user-friendly software which allows it also to be used for other applications, such as absolute configuration of light-atom molecules and protein structure determination.
Roger Durst, chief technology officer for Bruker AXS, stated: "The X8 Prospector is a powerful, high-throughput screening system with much lower operating and maintenance costs than conventional rotating anode-based systems.
"It allows users to find the highest quality crystals rapidly and cost- effectively for later analysis at a synchrotron beamline.
"This ensures that valuable beamline time is not wasted on lower quality samples".
