title: New paradigm for macromolecular crystallography experiments at SSRL: automated crystal screening and remote data collection.
abstract: Complete automation of the macromolecular crystallography experiment has been achieved at SSRL through the combination of robust mechanized experimental hardware and a flexible control system with an intuitive user interface. These highly reliable systems have enabled crystallography experiments to be carried out from the researchers' home institutions and other remote locations while retaining complete control over even the most challenging systems. A breakthrough component of the system, the Stanford Auto-Mounter (SAM), has enabled the efficient mounting of cryocooled samples without human intervention. Taking advantage of this automation, researchers have successfully screened more than 200 000 samples to select the crystals with the best diffraction quality for data collection as well as to determine optimal crystallization and cryocooling conditions. These systems, which have been deployed on all SSRL macromolecular crystallography beamlines and several beamlines worldwide, are used by more than 80 research groups in remote locations, establishing a new paradigm for macromolecular crystallography experimentation.
authors.affiliation: SSRL, SLAC, 2575 Sand Hill Road MS 99, Menlo Park, CA 95124, USA. soltis@slac.stanford.edu
authors.forename: S Michael
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Soltis
authors.forename: Aina E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deacon
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McPhillips
authors.forename: Hsui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chui
authors.forename: Pete
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dunten
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hollenbeck
authors.forename: Irimpan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mathews
authors.forename: Mitch
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Penjit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moorhead
authors.forename: R Paul
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Phizackerley
authors.forename: Clyde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Jinhu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van dem Bedem
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McPhillips
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sauter
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsyba
authors.forename: Guenter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D003199:Computer Systems; D003460:Crystallization; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003625:Data Collection; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012371:Robotics; D014584:User-Computer Interface
chemical_list: D046912:Multiprotein Complexes