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X-ray Footprinting of Biological Materials (XFP) Beamline
Overview
The XFP beamline enables access to synchrotron X-ray footprinting technologies and support at NSLS-II. It is operated as a Partner Beamline by the Case Western Reserve University Center for Synchrotron Biosciences, with funding from Case Western Reserve University and a variety of federal sponsors.
X-ray footprinting is a solution based technique in which X-ray radiolysis of water by synchrotron radiation produces hydroxyl radicals that can then covalently label regions of proteins or cleave nucleic acid phosphodiester backbones, at rates proportional to solvent accessibility. Identification of these structural changes by mass spectrometry or sequencing methods produces a water accessibility map of the target biomolecule. Ligand binding, folding, or complex formation (either steady-state or time-resolved) produces changes in solvent accessibility that can be related to biomolecule structure at both global and local (single amino acid/nucleotide) levels in concert with data from other structural biology methods. For further background, refer to Annu Rev. Biophys. 2006, 35, 251-276, Annu Rev. Biophys. 2018, 47, 315-333 or Chem. Rev. 2022, 122, 7532-7561.
Information for Users
User Guidance
For an overview of the beamline including descriptions and pictures of beamline endstation equipment, visit our Facilities page at the CWRU CSB website.
Beamtime Proposals: types of proposals accepted (with advice), considerations for in-person vs. mail-in access for XFP experiments
Sample Considerations: technical information on samples and preparation for experiments
Shipping Information: information for domestic (USA) and international shipments to the XFP beamline.
Beamline References
If your publication makes use of data obtained at XFP, please use this acknowledgement and cite one or both of the following instrumentation papers:
- Beamline design and overview of capabilities: J. Synch. Rad 2019, 26, 1388-1399
- High-throughput footprinting apparatus: J. Synch. Rad. 2021, 28, 1321-1332
Useful links
- 17-BM publication list
- NSLS-II User Guide
- NSLS-II Proposal System PASS
- NSLS-II User Laboratories
Contact Information
Contact Info
Location: Building 745 (LOB5), see this map for location at BNL.
Beamline phone: +1-631-344-1817 (from a BNL phone, dial only last 4 digits)
E-mail: XFP@bnl.gov (contacts all XFP beamline staff resident at NSLS-II)
Beamline/Mass Spectrometry Contacts
| Name | Role | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Chance | principal investigator | CWRU |
| Erik Farquhar | beamline scientist | NSLS-II |
| Rohit Jain | senior research associate | CWRU |
| Janna Kiselar | structural MS faculty | CWRU |
| Michael Sullivan | tech. consultant (retired) | NSLS-II |
Staff Resources
Technical details for XFP controls hardware and operations for 17-BM beamline staff can be found on the Staff Resources page.