Approximately 1,700 scientists visit SSRL annually to conduct experiments in broad disciplines including life sciences, materials, environmental science, and accelerator physics. Science highlights featured here and in our monthly newsletter, Headlines, increase the visibility of user science as well as the important contribution of SSRL in facilitating basic and applied scientific research. Many of these scientific highlights have been included in reports to funding agencies and have been picked up by other media. Users are strongly encouraged to contact us when exciting results are about to be published. We can work with users and the SLAC Office of Communication to develop the story and to communicate user research findings to a much broader audience.
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The New Face of Protein-bound Copper: The Type Zero Copper Site
Copper is an essential ingredient for animal and plant life.
Crystal Structure of the Hexameric Assembly Unit of the HIV Capsid
The genome of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) is bundled inside a capsid composed of about 1,500 copies of the viral Capsid Assembly (CA) protein.
In Situ and Ex Situ Studies of Platinum Nanocrystals: Growth and Evolution in Solution
Crystals of different sizes and shapes have different functional properties.
Molecular Mimicry of SUMO by Rad60 Helps Protect the Genome from Toxic Stress
DNA is a relatively stable molecule, but it can be damaged by chemicals generated inside our cells or by radiation originating from outside our cells.
"Seeing" Mercury Methylation in Progress
High levels of mercury in our diets can have adverse effects on our health, and fish are a major source of dietary mercury.
An Ancient Structural Bridge Joins Editing to Aminoacylation to Prevent Mistranslation
The information encoded in genes is only useful if the decoder is accurate.
Allosteric Modulation of DNA by Small Molecules
Biological macromolecules, like proteins and nucleic acids, are good examples of the form follows function paradigm; and, in the case of these molecules, deformation follows function as
Model for Eukaryotic Tail-anchored Protein Binding Based on the Structure of Get3
Biological macromolecules, like proteins and nucleic acids, are good examples of the form follows function paradigm; and, in the case of these molecules, deformation follows function as well.
Natural Prion Structure is Very Different from the Structure of Recombinant Prion Protein Amyloid
While the normal function of human prion protein (PrP) remains a mystery, the results of abnormal PrP are quite well known.
Geometric and Electronic Structures of the Ni(I) and Methyl-Ni(III) Intermediates of Methyl-Coenzyme M Reductase
In the atmosphere, methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, trapping 20 times more heat.
Collaborate on Science Highlights
We can work with users and the SLAC Office of Communication to develop the story and to communicate user research findings to a much broader audience.