Towards molecular movies with X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy

Abstract

We highlight perspective research opportunities of making molecular movies of biomolecular condensates and supercooled water using X-ray synchrotrons and XFELs.

Wide-angle X-ray scattering and molecular dynamics simulations of supercooled protein hydration water

“…49,50 From this perspective, it would be interesting to investigate the translational dynamics of protein hydration water by using state-of-the-art coherent X-ray scattering techniques, such as X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. 51…”

From Femtoseconds to Hours—Measuring Dynamics over 18 Orders of Magnitude with Coherent X-rays

“…The relevant length scales, e.g., the size of a protein, is usually in the range of few nm, thus, diffusion dynamics as fastest relevant process will extend to the sub-µs regime. Radiation-induced damage has to be considered for such samples, leading to a modified signal-to-noise ratio [37,64]. First XPCS studies on protein diffusion have been demonstrated recently using fast detectors with access to µs time scales [36,199,200].…”

“…First XPCS studies on protein diffusion have been demonstrated recently using fast detectors with access to µs time scales [36,199,200]. In addition to storage-ring based XPCS, application of XSVS schemes will be applied to limit the radiation damage [65,140], as well as studies at FEL sources are foreseen using different pulse schemes [37]. Besides protein dynamics, XPCS will become possible for nanomedicine studies, such as probing nanoparticle-protein interaction which is important for drug release in cellular environments [201].…”

“…Furthermore, new routes of understanding stress relaxation in glasses have been revealed recently [32]. The possibility of reaching faster time scales in a real time experiment enables the study of in-operando dynamics, e.g., ion transport in lithium batteries [33], and paves the way to sub-µs dynamics of soft matter [34,35] and biological systems [36][37][38][39]. Finally, future opportunities will be addressed with special attention on possibilities at the new facilities.…”

Kinetics of Network Formation and Heterogeneous Dynamics of an Egg White Gel Revealed by Coherent X-Ray Scattering

“…The evolution of dynamics is obtained from the two-time correlation (TTC) defined as the covariance of the scattered intensity [12,13,[29][30][31][32][33][34][35]…”