Dear All, August 15, 2009 is the deadline for the October - December 2009 Rapid Access Proposal cycle. (!!!!Please note that the ALS will be shut down in September, 2009.!!!!) Remote data collection is available on all beamlines at the Berkeley Center for Structural Biology (BCSB). The NX remote desktop technology provides the remote user with the full complement of sample visualization, sample manipulation, beamline control, data acquisition and data analysis tools exactly as they would see them if they were stationed at the beamline. This enhanced remote operation capability is coupled with 24hr onsite support by BCSB staff who are able to assist immediately with loading additional samples for remote users or troubleshoot any issues that might arise. Beamlines 8.2.1 and 8.2.2: Both beamlines are now fully remote capable, which means that users are able control sample mounting, data collection and analysis from their home labs. This has dramatically increased the efficiency of data collection and significantly reduced the cost of protein crystallography experiments, since users no longer have to travel to the synchrotron. To facilitate studies on small crystals, a microdiffractometer was installed in the beamline 8.2.1 endstation. The new equipment allows precise sample positioning to within 2 microns, excellent sample viewing of very small crystals, and an off-axis crystal positioning stage. As part of the beamline optics upgrades, a new toroidal focusing mirror was purchased and installed in beamline 8.2.1; new parabolic mirrors are currently being polished. When completed, the new optics will increase the brightness of beamline 8.2.1 by a factor of 4 to 5 and decrease the spot size to 30 microns, greatly facilitating structure solution on large macromolecular complexes. Beamlines 5.0.1, 5.0.2, 5.0.3: On Sector 5, improvements to the existing Berkeley Automounter sample handling system have dramatically improved both total capacity and reliability. Upgrades to the 5.0.1 and 5.0.3 monochromators have been completed. The operational energy of both beamlines has been increased, taking them above the Se K-edge and thus introducing a significant new Se SAD capability for experiments on Se derivatized proteins. The new monochromators also provide significantly better beam focus and performance under the increased power loads of ALS topoff operation. These improvements have been coupled with the introduction of enhanced positional feedback, diagnostic tools, and auto-alignment systems for the beamline components to improve the overall stability and quality of the beam delivered to users. Another mode of access to the BCSB beamlines is through the Collaborative Crystallography (CC) Program. Users apply for beamtime via the general user program, and collaborate with an expert crystallographer who will conduct the experiments and data reduction on behalf of the researchers. Depending on the users, structure solution, model building and refinement can be carried out as well. Please visit http://bcsb.lbl.gov/ for more details about the Center and its beamlines. To find out more, click on: http://www.als.lbl.gov/als/quickguide/independinvest.html Scroll down to "Structural Biology/Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS)." We invite you to submit a proposal at: http://alsusweb.lbl.gov/4DCGI/WEB_GetForm/PXProposalEntry.shtml/Initialize If you'd like to apply for January-February 2010 beamtime at the Advanced Light Source, please submit a General User proposal by November 15, 2009. If you have any questions or would like to request open beamtime, please e-mail [email protected]. Please note that executed user agreements must be received by LBNL prior to beamtime. Proprietary fees, if applicable, must be received by LBNL at least five working days prior to scheduled beamtime. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- P.H. Zwart Beamline Scientist Berkeley Center for Structural Biology Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA-94703, USA Cell: 510 289 9246 BCSB: http://bcsb.als.lbl.gov PHENIX: http://www.phenix-online.org CCTBX: http://cctbx.sf.net -----------------------------------------------------------------