University of Kansas, Lawrence
Del Shankel Structural Biology Center
2034 Becker Drive
Lawrence, KS 66047
United States of Americahttps://psxl.ku.edu/cite this facility
Dr. Scott Lovell
Last Updated: 10/05/2021
The Protein Structure & X-Ray Crystallography Laboratory (PSXL) is a core laboratory at the University of Kansas that possesses the infrastructure and expertise to perform all aspects of protein and small molecule structure determination using X-ray crystallography. For protein structure determination, high-throughput methods are utilized to move projects rapidly from gene-to-structure.
The PSL is well suited to facilitate structural biology efforts for researchers. We employ high throughput crystallization methods in climate controlled environments that permit one to screen a large number of crystallization conditions using small volumes of protein sample relative to traditional methods. This increases the chance of obtaining crystals since a greater number of crystallization conditions can be investigated using a single protein sample. Currently, the PSL has a success rate of approximately 70% at obtaining confirmed protein crystals for investigator projects. Adjacent to the crystallization laboratory, we house two rotating anode generators, image plate and CCD detectors and cryo cooling units in the X-ray laboratory that are used regularly for screening and data collection for a variety of protein crystals. These instruments are used by the PSL and the Small-Molecule X-Ray Crystallography Laboratory at KU. Along with our in-house X-ray diffraction capabilities, the PSL maintains collaborations with scientists at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) IMCA-CAT (sector 17) for synchrotron X-ray data collection. Samples are typically shipped to the APS approximately each month. Diffraction data are collected by an IMCA staff member and the data are downloaded via secure transfer to the PSL. Other laboratories located adjacent to the PSL include the Protein Production Group (PPG) and the KU Analytical Proteomics Laboratory, both of which contain equipment that is accessible to the PSL staff.
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