Biological Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering (Bio-SAXS)

Beamline B21

B21 is a dedicated solution state Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) beamline with an emphasis on providing an optimised experimental setup for measuring scattering from biological samples. iNEXT and Instruct users can access this through our mail-in service described below.

Why use bio-SAXS?

The technique provides a rapid way to obtain low resolution structural data which in some cases can complement or add to data from other techniques such as MX and Cryo-EM. Other uses include understanding subunit arrangement in larger macromolecular complexes and observation of protein- or ligand-induced conformational changes.

What is mail-in bio-SAXS?

You mail your samples to us in specially prepared B21 sample containers, and choose from two data collection methods: 

1. batch mode data collection using the EMBL Arinax sample handling robot
2. size-exclusion chromatography coupled SAXS (SEC-SAXS) using an Agilent HPLC system

The data collection results are available immediately online using the ISPyB database. Additional mail-in containers are shipped back together with a report. Mail-in SAXS services include both SEC-SAXS and batch-mode. Mail-in SEC-SAXS users can specify Superdex 200, Superose 6, or the Shodex series of columns (KW-402, -403, -404, -405).

For further details see the B21 webpages here.