SIBYLS

Structurally Integrated BiologY for Life Sciences

The SIBYLS Beamline is an NIH and DOE-funded beamline specializing in the collection of scattering data from biological samples. Major funding is provided through the NIH program grant ALS-ENABLE, and the DOE-funded IDAT program:

The Integrated Diffraction Analysis Technologies (IDAT) resource will improve and apply Department of Energy (DOE) established, synchrotron-based technologies for biological DOE missions. IDAT is built on two key advantages of synchrotrons: bright tunable wavelength X-rays and a community of complementary beamlines. IDAT utilizes these synchrotron resources to understand, at multiple scales, how biomolecules enable their chemistry for cellular outcomes. Uniquely, IDAT delivers small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS – SIBYLS beamline) as functionally critical data on macromolecular conformations and assemblies and as a bridge between atomic resolution macromolecular crystallography (MX –beamline 8.3.1) and Soft X-ray Tomography (SXT – NCXT beamline). Using powerful computational tools, IDAT integrates data from these beamlines and other techniques. In this renewal, the IDAT team has increased collaborations with investigators working in DOE BER areas of interest. The collaborations seek to elucidate actionable insights into metabolic pathways, microbial compartmentalization, how DNA organization affects transcription, microbial based carbon sequestration, and rational redesign of enzyme biochemistry for valued bioproducts. Empowered by IDAT, collaborators gain understanding of how the chemo-spatial structure of multi-component biomolecules enables the dynamic regulation of these processes. Guided by its DOE BER collaborations, this IDAT renewal has three primary aims: 1) To advance structural investigation aiding DOE BER programs by efficiently providing informative SAXS data and by integrating SAXS, MX, and SXT. 2) To develop, test, and deploy productive SAXS and MX facilities. 3) To gain novel insights by innovating and developing new computational tools for integrated interpretation of SAXS, MX, and SXT data.

HT-SAXS

High Throughput SAXS

For sample delivery we use a high-precision multichannel Tecan Evo 100 liquid handling robot with four automated arms. The sample is carried from plate to beam inside the needle tip and exposed through a mica window increasing throughput and preventing sample degradation, allowing us to collect more samples and deliver more data

SEC-SAXS

Size-Exclusion Chromatography SAXS

Separation of analytes is accomplished by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) using an agilent 1260 series HPLC with a Shodex analytical column at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min. Eluent is split 2 to 1 between X-ray synchrotron radiation and a series of our four inline analytical instruments

Pilatus3 2M

Dectris Pilatus3 2M Detector

With count rates up to 10 Mcts/sec pixels our Pilatus 3 2M detector gives us much faster readout times than our previous detector. Other advantages include direct detection of X-rays in single-photon-counting mode, no readout noise, no dark current, and excellent point-spread.

Mail-in SAXS Program

We offer a small angle X-ray scattering(SAXS) data collection service for users world wide. SIBYLS is unique among most SAXS beamlines in that users ship samples overnight either in a 96-well plate (HT-SAXS) or Eppendorf PCR tubes (SEC-SAXS) to our lab at the Advance Light Source. Our experienced SIBYLS staff along with the beamline scientists collect your data. No more expensive traveling and learning curves to get valuable SAXS data for your research. Both academic (free) and proprietary interests are welcome.