Pump-Probe Time-Resolved Serial Femtosecond Crystallography at X-Ray Free Electron Lasers

Abstract

With time-resolved crystallography (TRX), it is possible to follow the reaction dynamics in biological macromolecules by investigating the structure of transient states along the reaction coordinate. X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) have enabled TRX experiments on previously uncharted femtosecond timescales. Here, we review the recent developments, opportunities, and challenges of pump-probe TRX at XFELs.

Keywords

• time-resolved crystallography
• pump-probe serial femtosecond crystallography
• X-ray free electron lasers
• diffraction before destruction
• difference electron density map
• power titration