Monash Macromolecular Crystallisation Facility is an automated platform for the high throughput crystallisation of biological macromolecules, operating on a fee-for-service model.
We provide Monash researchers with access to the newest nano-volume crystallisation and imaging technologies using state-of-the-art equipment:
• NT8 (Formulatrix) and
• Mosquito (TTP Labtech) - nano drop dispensing
• Formulator (Formulatrix) - building and dispensing customised optimisation screens using microfluidic technology
• 4 Rock Imagers (Formulatrix) - plate incubators/automated imaging systems
• 2 SONICC crystal detectors (Formulatrix) - using Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) and Ultraviolet Two-Photon Excited Fluorescence (UV-TPEF) for protein crystals detection in sitting drops and LCP
• Prometheus (NanoTemper) - nano DSF – protein thermal unfolding, chemical denaturation and aggregation
Our Services:
• Nano-volume crystallisation screening (vapour diffusion and LCP), followed by automated imaging with remote access to images
• Seeding and additive screening
• Custom screen design and dispensing for optimisation of crystallisation conditions.
• Pre-crystallisation sample evaluation by Differential Scanning Fluorimetry
The Monash Macromolecular Crystallisation Facility is an automated platform for the high- throughput crystallisation of biological macromolecules. Macromolecular crystallography provides unparalleled details of the 3D structures of biological macromolecules and forms the basis for the rational design of therapeutics. Our facility helps to overcome the crystallisation bottleneck in crystallographic structure determination.
Key Instrumentation
Four liquid handling robots (three for crystallisation drop dispensing and one for making optimisation screens).
NT8 (Formulatrix) - nanoliter-volume liquid handler for dispensing all crystallisation drops, including LCP.
Mosquito LCP (TTP Labtech) - using positive displacement technology and LCP.
Crystal Phoenix (Art Robbins) - featuring nano-dispensing capability and 96 syringe head for simultaneous transfer of screen solutions.
Formulator (Formulatrix) - liquid handler that uses microfuidic technology - for dispensing optimisation screens.
Four automated imaging systems: four Rock Imagers 1000 (Formulatrix): with combined capacity to handle and automatically inspect 4000 crystallisation plates, providing visible, UV and SONICC technology imaging at either 20°C or 4°C.
Prometheus NT.48 (NanoTemper) to investigate protein stability for crystallisation through changes in intrinsic fuorescence during thermal melting.
Inquire
Specialist Services
To increase the probability of growing crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction studies out team uses many well-known optimisation techniques. The use of robotics allows for the miniaturisation of crystallisation experiments, enables us to screen a wide range of conditions from limited sample volumes.
Specialist Services
Crystallisation of macromolecules
Drop dispensing
Vapour diffusion
Lipid cubic phase (LCP)
Hit optimisation
Custom (fine) screen making
Additive screening
Seeding
Drop imaging (automated: visible, polarised, UV and SONICC; and manual)
Remote access to images via web interface
Stability of Macromolecules for crystallisation
Differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) through thermal melting of macromolecules
The Monash Macromolecular Crystallisation Facility is an automated platform for the high- throughput crystallisation of biological macromolecules. Macromolecular crystallography provides unparalleled details of the 3D structures of biological macromolecules and forms the basis for the rational design of therapeutics. Our facility helps to overcome the crystallisation bottleneck in crystallographic structure determination.
Key Instrumentation
Four liquid handling robots (three for crystallisation drop dispensing and one for making optimisation screens).
NT8 (Formulatrix) - nanoliter-volume liquid handler for dispensing all crystallisation drops, including LCP.
Mosquito LCP (TTP Labtech) - using positive displacement technology and LCP.
Crystal Phoenix (Art Robbins) - featuring nano-dispensing capability and 96 syringe head for simultaneous transfer of screen solutions.
Formulator (Formulatrix) - liquid handler that uses microfuidic technology - for dispensing optimisation screens.
Four automated imaging systems: four Rock Imagers 1000 (Formulatrix): with combined capacity to handle and automatically inspect 4000 crystallisation plates, providing visible, UV and SONICC technology imaging at either 20°C or 4°C.
Prometheus NT.48 (NanoTemper) to investigate protein stability for crystallisation through changes in intrinsic fuorescence during thermal melting.
Inquire
Specialist Services
To increase the probability of growing crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction studies out team uses many well-known optimisation techniques. The use of robotics allows for the miniaturisation of crystallisation experiments, enables us to screen a wide range of conditions from limited sample volumes.
Specialist Services
Crystallisation of macromolecules
Drop dispensing
Vapour diffusion
Lipid cubic phase (LCP)
Hit optimisation
Custom (fine) screen making
Additive screening
Seeding
Drop imaging (automated: visible, polarised, UV and SONICC; and manual)
Remote access to images via web interface
Stability of Macromolecules for crystallisation
Differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) through thermal melting of macromolecules