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<strong>EMBL</strong> Research at a Glance 2009<br />
Christoph<br />
Hermes<br />
PhD 1981, Technical<br />
University, Munich.<br />
At <strong>EMBL</strong> Hamburg since<br />
1981. Group leader since<br />
1988.<br />
protein crystals. The ML mode of operation was used very successfully<br />
in 2008 for PX experiments. This was mainly due to the<br />
considerable gain in intensity, allowing very rapid data collection<br />
and hence collecting data from a large number of crystals per shift.<br />
In these measurements the newly developed beamline control system<br />
which is based on economic industrial electronics and improved<br />
software proved to be reliable and user-friendly. In<br />
preparation and as test cases for the new beamlines on the worldwide<br />
unique radiation source PETRA III, we are in the process of<br />
optimising the end-stations of the ‘old’ beamlines at the storage<br />
ring. We plan to install for example improved rotation axes, centring<br />
devices and automatic sample changers to obtain results<br />
which will give us confidence for future applications at PETRA.<br />
Future projects and goals<br />
We will continue to improve the spectral quality of our existing<br />
beamlines, while at the same time we plan to make our lines more<br />
user-friendly. This also means that we will continue to increase<br />
the level of automation of our experimental stations, which is a<br />
necessary condition to perform high-throughput data collection.<br />
Instrumentation for structural research at <strong>EMBL</strong><br />
Hamburg<br />
Previous and current research<br />
Research carried out at the Hamburg outstation since 1974 has covered a broad spectrum of X-<br />
ray methods used for structural investigations in biology. Small angle solution scattering (SAXS)<br />
allows the study of biological macromolecules and their complexes in their native environment,<br />
while the complete 3D picture can be obtained by protein X-ray crystallography (PX), a method<br />
which has become the dominant structural research tool in molecular biology not only at synchrotron<br />
radiation sources.<br />
Each of the above-mentioned methods has specific instrumentation needs, and our group designs,<br />
constructs and builds the appropriate equipment. Our activities include mechanical engineering,<br />
vacuum technology, X-ray optics, data acquisition and control electronics. During 2007 a Multilayer<br />
Monochromator (ML) system was designed, built, installed and commissioned on wiggler<br />
beamline BW7A which can be used alternatively to the standard optical set-up of this branch of<br />
the BW7 wiggler comprising a focussing Si(111) double crystal monochromator (DCM) for MAD<br />
data collection on<br />
The multilayer monochromator in its vacuum vessel during installation at<br />
beamline BW7A. From right to left (beam direction), first and second<br />
multilayer located on their respective positioning devices and the slit<br />
system with integrated intensity monitor are shown.<br />
<strong>EMBL</strong> is building and will operate three beamlines on PETRA III. In this context, major challenges and opportunities in the field of beamline<br />
instrumentation, sample handling, control electronics and software will have to be mastered (see the Fiedler group, page 99).<br />
The opening of the European X-Ray Laser (XFEL) in Hamburg is scheduled for 2014, offering unprecedented research opportunities. To design<br />
experiments which will exploit the potential of this unique facility requires a large number of problems in various areas to be addressed<br />
and solved.<br />
Our goal is to create optimal conditions for state-of-the-art experiments in structural biology at a modern synchrotron radiation source.<br />
Selected references<br />
Roessle, M.W., Klaering, R., Ristau, U., Robrahn, B., Jahn, D.,<br />
Gehrmann, T., Konarev, P., Round, A., Fiedler, S., Hermes, C. &<br />
Svergun, D. (2007). Upgrade of the small-angle X-ray scattering<br />
beamline X33 at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory,<br />
Hamburg. Journal of Applied Crystallography, 0, S190-S19<br />
Hermes, C. Gehrmann, T., Jahn, D., Ristau U., Robrahn, B. &<br />
Siambanis, T. (200). (200). New beamlines for protein<br />
crystallography at the <strong>EMBL</strong> Outstation Hamburg. AIP Conference<br />
Proceedings, 705, 38-388<br />
Pohl, E., Ristau, U., Gehrmann, T., Jahn, D., Robrahn, B., Malthan,<br />
D., Dobler, H. & Hermes, C. (200). Automation of the <strong>EMBL</strong><br />
Hamburg protein crystallography beamline BW7B. J. Synchrotron<br />
Radiat., 11, 372-377<br />
Pohl, E., Gonzalez, A., Hermes, C. & van Silfhout, R.G. (2001).<br />
Overview of the tunable beamlines for protein crystallography at the<br />
<strong>EMBL</strong> Hamburg Outstation; an analysis of current and future usage<br />
and developments. J. Synchrotron Radiat., 8, 1113-1120<br />
100
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