FAQ

If you are interested in using the VMXi beamline please contact the beamline staff by email - vmxi@diamond.ac.uk - for full information.

There are 2 options:

1) With prior notice and organisation, we can receive plates delivered in person to site for collection on VMXi.

2) Proteins can be shipped to site either with known crystallisation conditions or requiring screening for crystallisation and we will set up crystallisation in the Crystallisation facility @Harwell prior to collection onn VMXi. You can set plates up with prior arrangement. Please email the crystallisation facility manager: halina.mikolajek@diamond.ac.uk

3) You can arrange a visit to the Crystallisation Facility to come and set up your own trays - by contacting halina.mikolajek@diamond.ac.uk

4) You can set trays up at your home institution and then ship them to Diamond in an SSRL In-Situ shipping box. You can try one at first by borrowing one from Diamond, and then they are commercially available for frequent Users. We had successfully shipped trays across the Atlantic by standard courier using this system.

We currently only accept MiTeGen In-situ-1^TM plates as these are optimal for data collection.

We are currently in user mode with the VMXi beamline and potential interested users can contact us if they would like to participate - vmxi@diamond.ac.uk for the beamline or halina.mikolajek@diamond.ac.uk for the Crystallisation Facility

Access is be provided through the Diamond User Office via Diamond’s standard User Access System (http://uas.diamond.ac.uk). Most BAGs already have VMXi access through their normal allocation, and Rapid Access Proposals can also be submitted. 

The Protein Crystallisation Facility, linked ot VMXi, is also a Diamond Instrument which can be applied for in the same manner. 

All data will be accessible via the ISPyB/SynchWeb interface.

Please look at the VMXi Manual for more information.

All data are processed using the same pipelines available on other MX beamlines.

Datasets from crystals collected in the same well, and/or in designated groups will be automatically processed together, which can result in complete data sets. This can then be further analysed using intensity-based clustering that can separate data into different structures - this automaticaly runs after data collection. 

Descriptions of Ligands can be added, using a SMILES code, with an automated Ligand-Fitting pipeline running - triggered in this case. 

See the VMXi Manual:

Copy the line highlighted in red and view collected images using the adxv software.

In the "DLS_Launchers" windows, double click the "ADXV Load" icon. Or at the command prompt type:

adxv

Several windows will open, select the image using the "Adxv Load"window

Once the desired image has been selected press "Load". The diffraction image will then appear in the "Adxv View" window. 

The icon "ADXV Autoload" icon or the command line switch

 adxv -autoload

We can currently store and image plates at 4 ºC & 20 ºC, and conduct data collection at 20 ºC.