Common platform for macromolecular crystallography at European synchrotrons
MXcuBE Meeting from 1st - 2nd of December 2015 at Alba, Barcelona. The meetings make sure that the devenlopment of MXcuBE3 closly fits to the needs of the users.
Photo: Jordi Juanhuix/ALBA
Researchers use high-intensity X-ray light from synchrotron radiation sources to decipher the structures of biological molecules and thus the blueprints of life. A cooperation agreement has been effective since 2012 to establish common software standards at several European sources. Its aim: The eight synchrotrons involved want to create user-friendly, standardised conditions at the 30 experimental stations for macromolecular crystallography, which will greatly facilitate the work of research groups. In the new project “MXCuBE3”, the existing software platform is being adapted to include the latest developments in technology.
Many of the beamlines for macromolecular crystallography have been extensively modernised at various synchrotrons over the past few years. With new equipment, such as the latest high-resolution detectors, this opens up all new possibilities for experimentation. The common software platform MXCuBE2 now has to be adapted as well to keep up with this trend. The Curatorship has accordingly called for a new, overhauled version to be developed. The software solution MXCuBE3 will allow users to control their experiments via web applications. The upgrade will also guarantee MXCuBE3 will continue to run on computers with future operating systems, and will improve the connection to the sample database ISPyB.
Involved in the cooperation are the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, the ESRF, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Global Phasing Limited, MAX-VI-Lab in Sweden, SOLEIL in France, ALBA in Spain and DESY.
Read up on this in more detail in the ESRF magazine
- Clean cooking fuel with a great impact for southern AfricaBurning biomass for cooking causes harmful environmental and health issues. The German-South African GreenQUEST initiative is developing a clean household fuel. It aims to reduce climate-damaging CO2 emissions and to improve access to energy for households in sub-Saharan Africa.
- A simpler way to inorganic perovskite solar cellsInorganic perovskite solar cells made of CsPbI3 are stable over the long term and achieve good efficiencies. A team led by Prof. Antonio Abate has now analysed surfaces and interfaces of CsPbI3 films, produced under different conditions, at BESSY II. The results show that annealing in ambient air does not have an adverse effect on the optoelectronic properties of the semiconductor film, but actually results in fewer defects. This could further simplify the mass production of inorganic perovskite solar cells.
- Spintronics: A new path to room temperature swirling spin texturesA team at HZB has investigated a new, simple method at BESSY II that can be used to create stable radial magnetic vortices in magnetic thin films.