Cheiron School BL Practice of BL26B1 (Protein Crystallography)
Title:
Data Collection and S-SAD Phasing of Protein Crystals
Staff:
Kazuya Hasegawa1, Seiki Baba1, Go Ueno2(1 SPring-8/JASRI, 2 RIKEN SPring-8 Center)
Abstract:
Sulfur SAD (S-SAD) phasing has been got attention because it does not need heavy atom
derivative and is expected to improve the throughput of structure determination. However,accurate measurement of diffraction intensity is crucial for the success of S-SAD because of thesmall anomalous signal of sulfur atom. In this exercise, participants will collect diffraction datafrom a protein crystal and determine the structure by using S-SAD phasing.
Contents:
1.

Brief Introduction of BL26B1

1.1.

Specification of the X-ray Beam

Energy range

6 ∼ 17. keV

Absorption edges of popular nuclei for MAD or(Wavelength)(0.75~2Å)

SAD phasing are covered
Se, Au, Pt, Zn, Fe, Hg etc
K edge： 26 Fe～ 37 Rb
L edge： 72 Hf ～ 83 Bi

Energy resolution
Beamsize

ΔE/E = ~10-4
at 150µm (FWHM)

Suitable for MAD and SAD phasing
Suitable for general size of protein crystals

sample position
Photon flux

5 ×1010

Typical exposure time: 2 sec/deg(photons/sec/aoomA@1Å)
1.2.

Optical Components
Simple optics which consists of SPring-8 standard double crystal monochromator and2-dimensional focusing bend cylindrical mirror is adopted. This facilitates stable beamsuitable for automated and high-throughput data collection.

Fig. 1: Beamline layout
1.3.

Experimental Station
BL26B1 & B2 have been developed as RIKEN Structural Genomics Beamline I & IIfor high throughput protein crystallography (HTPX). The function of the beamline is tocollect diffraction data of a large number of protein crystals for structural analysis. In theexperimental hutch, an automatic sample changer developed at BL26 is installed to
improve the throughput of the experiment. Cooperating with the sample changer, thebeamline scheduling software (BSS) executes the successive data collections without any
user intervention.

Fig. 2: Diffractometer at BL26B1
1.4.

Control Software BSS
BSS (Beamline scheduling software) can deal with all of the beamline operation as
follows: 1) Control the optical and experimental components such as monochromator,goniometer, and detector. 2) Data collection of crystal diffraction, X-ray fluorescence etc.
The important feature of BSS GUI is a schedule list which facilitate automatic datacollection as changing crystals with a sample changer
(a)

(b)

(c)

Fig. 3: BSS Main window (a) Measurement Schedule Tab, (b) Crystal Centering Tab, (c)Device Control Tab
1.5.

Sample Changer SPACESPACE (SPring-8 precise automatic cryo-sample exchanger) was developed at RIKEN
SPring-8 Center to promote structural genomics research, and was first implemented at
BL26B1 and BL26B2 in 2003. SPACE adopted specially designed plastic pins equippedwith screw threads to assure the reproducibility of the crystal position on the goniometer.
Because of this feature, once samples have been manually centered and the translation
coordinates have been recorded during the crystal screening process, the sample can beautomatically centered in the beam before data collection.
Now, SPACE can also handle the conventional sample pins with metal bases for use
with magnetic goniometer heads, and installed at all MX beamlines at SPring-8 including
micro-focus beamline.

Fig. 4: Sample changer SPACE
1.6.

Specification of beamline equipment
CCD detector (RIGAKU/ Saturn A200)
Detector area : 203 × 203 mm2
Pixel size : 50 × 50 µm2 (unbin)
No. of pixels : 4096 × 4096

2.

Horizontal axis goniometer having motor-driven x, y, z stage

Cryostat : temperature control range 80 ∼ 350 K

Gas-flow type ionization chamber

Si PIN photodiode detector for fluorescence measurement

Multi-channel analyzer of fluorescence measurement

Control Software BSS

Sample Automated Changer SPACE

Beam Alignment
Every morning, our beamline staff conducts beam alignment to ensure that the incident
X-ray illuminates the center cross of the microscope. Following is the beam alignment

protocol.
2.1.

Confirm and define the rotational center of the goniometer head at the window of thesample monitor software using a sample mount Lithographic loop. If the position is not
located at the center of the display, the position should be aligned by the micrometer ofthe sample monitor CCD camera. The cross of the center position can also be aligned by
the software definition of the video capture software.

2.2.

BSS Run Option is set to ”Admin” mode.

2.3.

Set the spindle axis to 0 degree.

2.4.

Put the fluorescent plate on the goniometer head.

2.5.

Focus the microscope on the surface of the fluorescent plate by moving stl_gonio_1_x
axis from Axis Tools window of BSS.

2.6.

Turn off the sample light.

2.7.

Set wavelength 1 Å and open X-ray shutter.

2.8.

Record the X-ray intensity at 1A (Electric current of ionization chamber).

2.9.

Display the monochromator alignment GUI on BL-Work Station. Record the position of
1 axis.

2.10. The size of two slits (ST1/ST2) is set to 3 mm by Axis Tools.
2.11. Tune 1 to maximize intensity by using the Energy tab of Axis Tools. Record the I0value, the position of the beam, and the shift of 1.
2.12. Beam position should be aligned to the rotational center of the goniometer by thetranslating the experimental stage. In Z axis direction (height), beam position should beplaced on the spindle axis. In Y axis direction (horizontal), the position should be thecentral cross of the video monitor.
2.13. Change the slit aperture size to the original values. The aperture size of ST1 and ST2 are
0.5/0.3mm and 0.4/0.4mm, respectively. Record the I0 value.
2.14. Tune 1 again.
2.15. BSS Run Option is set to ”None” mode.
3.

Theoretical background of SAD phasing

3.1.

Anomalous effectThomson scattering occurs the following scheme: 1) X-ray photon strikes a free electron,
2) the electromagnetic field of the incident oscillates the electron. 3) the oscillated
electron scatters X-ray with the same wavelength as the incident X-ray.
However, the electrons of atoms are bound tightly and its oscillation has a certain
resonance frequency. Therefore, the scattering factor is depends on the incident
wavelength. It can be expressed as the following formula.

f  f o  f 'if "In the case of sulfur atom, the wavelength dependent f’ and f” terms are illustrated asfollowing graphs.

Fig. 5. Anomalous scattering terms of sulfur atom. Calculated by CCP4/Crossec.
3.2.

Harker diagram and phase
Crystallographic F(h) values (structure factors) are given by Fourier transformation ofelectron density (x). F(h) value is a complex and composed of absolute |F(h)| and phase
(h). Inverse Fourier transformation of F(h) gives electron density of crystal, however|F(h)| is only obtained from diffraction experiments. The phase (h) can be recoveredfrom several experimental methods. Here we describe the scheme of SAD method.
Harker diagram (phase diagram) is a picture for understanding phase determination.

Fig 6: Harker diagram of SAD method.
Anomalous effect breaks down Friedel’s Law where a reflection F(h) and its
centrosymmetric reflection F(-h) have same value of |F|. F, the difference of F(h) andF(-h) is a good approximation of the structure factor amplitude of anomalous scatterers.
Therefore, Patterson method or direct phasing can extract the position of the anomalousscatterers.
Once the positions of anomalous scatterers are determined, their structure factor (F”H) iscalculated. The vector of F”H and its negative can be drawn in the diagram. Next, we candraw two circles: one with radius of |F(+)P| centered on the end of F”H. another withradius |F(-)P| centered on the end of –F”H. We can see the two intersections FP and FP~ ofthe two circles. One of the two points is correct answer. Although the two possibilities
cannot be distinguished without any information, we can obtain good phases by thetreatment of electron density shape (density modification; solvent flattening etc.) in somecases.
4.

Data Collection

4.1.

Sample mounting on goniometer
1) Pick up a desired crystal by a cryoloop device: Firstly, a desired crystal is scooped witha cryoloop under a microscope. Protein crystal is mostly small and its typical dimensionof 0.1~0.2 mm. Protein crystal is obtained from water solution, therefore it is easy to dryup under atmospheric condition and also very fragile. Scooping process should beconducted rapidly.

Fig. 7. Cryoloop. (Left) Cryoloop, (Middle) Nylon loop. The tip of the cryoloop. (Right)
Cryoloop with a crystal.
2) Soaking the crystal into cryoprotectant: The scooped crystal is transferred into thesolution containing cryoprotectant (typically it contains 30% glycerol) which prevents ice
formation during sample cooling.
3) Picking the crystal again: To mount the crystal onto a goniometer head, the crystal ispicked again. Since glycerol containing solutions are viscous, the excess of the solvent issometime scooped onto the cryoloop. The excess causes unfavorable scattering which
degrades the statistics of diffraction data. Since the anomalous signal for S-SAD phasing
is weak, the solvent should be removed as far as possible.
4) Mounting and flush cooling the crystal: Immediately, the picked crystal should be puton the goniometer head with magnetic support. To cool the sample during X-rayirradiation and prevent the radiation damage of the sample, cold nitrogen gas stream isblowing at the crystal position. Before mounting the crystal, the blow is blocked out by
the shutter system. And after mounting, the shutter should be immediately opened. This is‘flush cooling technique’ for preventing ice formation in solvent and crystal.
4.2.

Collection of diffraction images
1) Set up the data collection software: To take diffraction images, the program BSS is
used at this beamline. Following two figures are the windows of data collection GUI.

Fig. 8: Main window of BSSFig. 9: The window for editing data collection condition.
2) Centering the sample to beam position: Diffraction images are taken by oscillation
method. In the method, crystal rotates and oscillates with the spindle axis of goniometer.
To keep the crystal position during the rotation against X-ray beam, the crystal is aligned
to the center of the spindle axis, because X-ray beam is already aligned to the spindle axis.
This operation can be achieved in the program BSS using video camera and monitor.
3) Closing experimental hutch and opening down stream shutter of the beamline.
4) Take a few images and check the diffraction: To estimate the quality of the mounted
crystal, one or two images should be taken before taking data set.
5) Take a full data set: When the crystal passes through the quality check, the consecutive
series of diffraction images are taken. In most cases, 180 images will be taken if you do
not have any information of the crystal as space group, cell constant etc. In the case ofSAD, highly redundant data collection is required, because it makes the statistics better.

Fig. 10: A diffraction pattern of a protein crystal.
5.

Data processing and structure determination

5.1.

Data processing
Diffraction images are processed by a special computer program. Against the raw data ofeach image, the following process is performed: 1) the prediction of reflections(diffraction spots) through the determination of lattice constants and crystal orientationand the parameter-refinement of the camera-distance etc [indexing and prediction]. 2) thedetermination of reflection index and the estimation of its intensity [integration]

Fig: 11: Spot prediction

After obtaining the index and intensity of each reflection in all images, the intensity
should be merged into reflections which are equivalent in crystallographic symmetry[scaling]. Finally we obtain F-data (containing hkl: Mirror index and F(hkl): structure
factor amplitude). In the case of SAD, Friedel mates F(+) and F(-) should be recorded
independently.
5.2.

Phase Calculation by SAD

There are several program packages for this purpose. In this practice, HKL2MAP will beused. This program is a GUI software for SHELX crystallographic analysis package. Thisanalysis is performed as following procedure: 1) SHELXC: the preparation of F datafrom experimental F data. 2) SHELXD: finding the positions of sufur atoms asanomalous scatterers. 3) SHELXE: phase calculation and phase improvement by density
modification. Finally, the calculated phases are checked by electron density maps using
the program COOT. Its details will be introduced at the BL practice. Only several picturesare shown.

Fig. 12: hkl2map (Shelxc)

Fig. 13: hkl2map (Shelxd)

Fig. 14: CCall vs. CCweakFig. 15: Histogram CCall

Fig. 16: Estimate Solvent Content. Insulin is composed of 51 amino acids

Fig. 17: Shelxe

Fig 18: Contrast graph.

Fig. 19: Nicely determined phases. High contrast electron density map was obtained.