Skip to main content

ALS

Home / All items tagged with Scattering/Diffraction

ALS Work Using Scattering/Diffraction

These techniques make use of the patterns of light produced when x-rays are deflected by the closely spaced lattice of atoms in solids and are commonly used to determine the structures of crystals and large molecules such as proteins.

 

77Se NMR Probes the Protein Environment of Selenomethionine

Sulfur is critical for protein structure and function but lacks a sensitive isotope for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. This can be circumvented by substituting sulfur with selenium, which has an NMR-compatible isotope (77Se). To enable interpretation of the NMR data, the structures of five of protein variants were solved by x-ray crystallography to a resolution of 1.2 Å. Read more »

Turning Up the Heat on Antibacterial-Resistant Diseases

Scientists have designed a biocompatible polymer that has the potential to advance photothermal therapy, a technique that deploys near-infrared light to combat antibacterial-resistant infections and cancer. The team synthesized the polymer by stringing together small molecules called ionic azaquinodimethanes, which they characterized at the ALS. Read more »

Molecular Handle Enables Viral Attack on Joint Cells

A collaboration of university and industry researchers used x-ray crystallography to investigate how the chikungunya virus, which can cause debilitating joint pain, engages a receptor protein found on the surfaces of joint cells. The work provides a path forward in the fight against a family of viruses that can result in acute and chronic arthritis. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Crystallography Reveals How New Molecular Cages Trap Toxic Gases

Current technologies for reducing toxic gas emissions are often ineffective and wasteful. Crystallographic analyses of two new MOF materials revealed how they reversibly bind their target gases, enabling the materials to be reused over many cycles (reducing waste) and permitting subsequent conversion of the gases into valuable chemical products. Read more »

The Choreography of Quantum Dot Fusion

X-ray scattering experiments helped reveal how nanosized crystals (“quantum dots”) self-assemble and fuse to form “supercrystals” with potentially useful electronic properties. The findings provide new insight into the fabrication of high-performance, low-cost electronic materials for photovoltaic and photon-sensing applications. Read more »PPT-icon-35 PDF-icon-35

Unique Cancer Drug Discovered With Help From Advanced Light Source Begins Historic Clinical Trial

Errors in the KRAS gene, which encodes a crucial cell-signaling protein, are one of the most common causes of cancer. Seeking to develop a long-sought direct inhibitor, researchers at Amgen conducted x-ray crystallography of KRAS(G12C) proteins at the ALS. The high-resolution structural maps helped Amgen make the breakthrough discovery of a small pocket on the molecule. Read more »

Discovery of a Covalent Inhibitor of KRASG12C (AMG 510) for the Treatment of Solid Tumors

KRASG12C has emerged as a promising target in the treatment of solid tumors; however, clinically viable inhibitors have yet to be identified. Here, researchers report on structure-based design and optimization efforts, culminating in the identification of AMG 510, a highly potent, selective, and well-tolerated KRASG12C inhibitor currently in phase I clinical trials (NCT03600883). Read more »