Project description
An efficient mixing method to boost structural biology studies
Time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography is a relatively new structural biology technique that leverages X-ray free-electron lasers to resolve the macromolecular structures of proteins. Reactions are initiated either by the use of rapid mixing techniques or by photoactivation. Funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the X-MIXING project will develop an efficient mixing method at the microscale suitable for triggering not-light sensitive biochemical reactions. The project has demonstrated a proof-of-concept configuration involving electrohydrodynamic fields and momentum transfer that can potentially improve mixing rates from 100 to 1 000 times compared to state-of-the-art techniques of diffusing substrates into the crystal. The configuration versatility should also enable significant changes in the reaction pH and temperatures. X-MIXING will explore the underlying physical limits of the proposed method using different approaches.
Objective
X-MIXING is an interdisciplinary project aimed at conceiving an efficient mixing method at the microscale suitable for triggering not-light sensitive biochemical reactions in the application of Time-Resolved Serial Femtosecond Crystallography. Nowadays, the temporal resolution of this type of dynamic structural biology analysis with X-ray Free-Electron Lasers is limited by the minimum mixing time that current methods can produce. As it is shown in a proof-of-concept, an exciting combination of electrohydrodynamic fields and momentum transfer lead to a significant variation of the spatiotemporal scales within the convection-diffusion mechanism. So, this configuration can potentially generate mixing from 100 to 1000 faster than current means do. Besides, its versatility would enable not only to reduce the mixing time substantially, but also to induce jumps in PH and temperature that would additionally open horizons concerning new types of triggering reactions in the field. These critical features have the potential to become this original configuration in a key to take full advantage of the recent significant investment, over 1,22 billion euro (2005 value), paid by European Union and partners for the construction of the European XFEL (Germany), whose user operation started in September 2017. To explore and elucidate the underlying physical limits of the proposed method, the research methodology of this project will embrace different approaches such as micro-PIV experiments, numerical simulations, and scaling analysis.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF-GF - Global FellowshipsCoordinator
41004 Sevilla
Spain