On Wednesday, March 29, the COherent Scattering and MICroscopy (COSMIC) Beamline (7.0.1) achieved first light, a significant milestone in the ALS’s plans to capitalize on recent gains in soft x-ray coherence provided by modern storage-ring light sources. Read more »
3D Visualization of Leaves during Drought
The veins of living leaves at increasing levels of drought stress were visualized using x-ray microtomography. The results expand our view of leaf drought responses, beyond the traditional embolism-centric view, to a broader focus on the role of the surrounding living tissues in water movement during drought. Read more »
Bending the (β-Sheet) Curve to Shape Protein Cavities
Curved β sheets are basic building blocks of many protein cavities that, by serving as binding sites for other molecules, are essential to protein function. β-sheet curvature can now be controlled with atomic-level accuracy, opening the door to custom-designed sites capable of entirely new functions. Read more »
Researchers Gain Insight into Protein Critical to Zika Virus Reproduction
Zika virus is a mosquito-borne infectious disease linked to certain birth defects in infants. Scientists have mapped a key viral protein called NS5, which contains two enzymes: one reduces the body’s ability to mount an immune response against infection and the other helps start the genetic replication process. Read more »
How Berkelium Stands Out in a Heavy Metal Crowd
Using several spectroscopic techniques, scientists found that the element berkelium breaks form with its heavy-element peers by taking on an extra positive charge when bound to a synthetic organic molecule. This property could help scientists develop better methods for handling and purifying nuclear materials. Read more »
Could This Enzyme Help Turn Biofuel Waste into Something Useful?
A protein used by common soil bacteria is providing new clues in the effort to convert aryl compounds, a common waste product from industrial and agricultural practices, into something of value. This Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) study, which involved ALS Beamline 8.2.2, targets LigM for its role in breaking down aromatic pollutants. Read more »
Ancient Ocean Temperatures Recorded in Mother-of-Pearl
Researchers have shown that the thickness of the nacre, or mother-of-pearl, that lines the insides of mollusk shells can be used to estimate ocean temperatures as far back as the early Jurassic period. X-ray studies of modern and ancient shells help establish the method’s feasibility. Read more »
Mapping Catalytic Reactions on Single Nanoparticles
A new study confirms that structural defects and jagged surfaces at the edges of platinum and gold nanoparticles are key hot spots for chemical reactivity. The experiments should help researchers customize the structural properties of catalysts to make them more effective in fostering chemical reactions. Read more »
ARPES Overturns V2O3 Metal-to-Insulator Theory
Researchers report on angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements performed on the transition-metal oxide V2O3. The results overturn a decade-old theory about metal-to-insulator transitions in this material and provide a spectroscopic benchmark test for future models. Read more »
NCAA Drives Formation of Designed Proteins
A noncanonical amino-acid (NCAA) complex has been found to drive the self-assembly of a computationally designed protein. Bpy-ala, which is “noncanonical” because it’s not among the 20 amino acids that occur naturally, has useful properties that could be used to generate novel photoactive proteins. Read more »
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