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Catching radical molecules before they disappear

Researchers from the Institute for Basic Science synthesized four new kinds of stabilized radicals with ferromagnetic properties, opening doors to applications in rechargeable batteries and molecular spintronics. The oxime radicals were stabilized using N-heterocyclic carbenes, a breakthrough in synthesizing organic radicals.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateDec 13, 2017

Crystals in a pink X-ray beam

A new experimental setup allows for serial crystallography using broad-spectrum X-rays at synchrotron sources, enabling the study of proteins with smaller samples and shorter exposure times. This method reduces unwanted scattered radiation, making it possible to determine protein structures with high precision.

SourceDeutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 3, 2017

New Berkeley lab algorithms extract biological structure from limited data

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory develop Multi-Tiered Iterative Phasing (M-TIP) algorithm to determine molecular structure from sparse and noisy single-particle diffraction data. This approach reduces the amount of required information, enabling the extraction of more features from limited experiments.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 10, 2017

Novel nozzle saves crystals

Scientists developed a novel double flow-focusing nozzle to reduce protein crystal consumption in X-ray crystallography. The new device enables stable experimental conditions, increases the rate of high-quality diffraction patterns, and widens the spectrum of biomolecules that can be analysed.

SourceDeutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY·JournalScientific Reports·DateMar 16, 2017

Determining the structures of nanocrystalline pharmaceuticals by electron diffraction

Researchers have developed a new method to determine the structures of nanocrystalline pharmaceuticals, reducing radiation damage and allowing for study at room temperature. The approach uses low-dose electron diffraction with a high-sensitivity detector, enabling the collection of high-quality data for direct crystallography methods.

SourceInternational Union of Crystallography·JournalActa Crystallographica Section A·DateFeb 26, 2016

Caution: Shrinks when warm

A team of physicists has identified a material with negative thermal expansion, shrinking in size as it warms. The discovery challenges current theoretical understanding of thermal expansion and may lead to the development of more durable electronics.

SourceUniversity of Connecticut·JournalPhysical Review B·DateOct 8, 2015

X-raying ion channels

Researchers at SISSA and Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste have used x-ray crystallography to demonstrate that the selectivity filter of ion channels is dynamic, not rigid. This discovery contributes to solving a long-standing debate among biophysicists and neurobiologists.

SourceInternational School of Advanced Studies (SISSA)·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 22, 2015

Molecular snapshots of oxygen formation in photosynthesis

Researchers from Umeå University have explored two ways to study the reaction sequence leading to oxygen formation in photosynthesis. The studies used different techniques, including slowing down the reaction and taking X-ray snapshots of the molecule's structure. The results show that small structural changes occur together with proto...

SourceUmea University·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 11, 2014