MicroSample Manipulation and Measurements
These patent-pending MicroTools™ have tips made from soft, flexible microfabricated polymer films. The curvature of the tips gives them rigidity, but they can still easily be flexed. Tools designed for use with samples from a few micrometers to millimeter in size. These tools will cause far less damage to fragile samples than metal tools, and they are optically and x-ray transparent.
Each tool is mounted on a 0.025”/0.64mm diameter non-magnetic stainless steel base. The base is fitted in a handle 0.7mm diameter, included in each kit.
General use: for protein crystals, single cells and manipulating small samples.
MicroTool™ Kit 1:
MicroTool Kit 1 contains 20 tools for sample manipulating and measurements.
MicroSpoon™: One each of Small, Medium, and Large sizes. Use to push, detach from surfaces, separate from a cluster, lift, and transfer. Push down to flatten tip and slide under your sample.
MicroChisel™ : One each of Small, Medium and Large sizes. Use to push, detach from surfaces, separate from a cluster, lift and transfer. Push down to flatten tip and slide under your sample.
MicroLasso™: One each of Small and Large sizes. Use like a loop and lasso, pull and detach a sample from a surface.
MicroSieve™: One each of Small, Medium and Large sizes. Use to sieve samples out of solution, and to lift, transfer and soak.
MicroTip™: One 50µm diameter tip. Use to poke, separate and lift samples. Use to reposition samples on a MicroMount or MicroMesh.
MicroGripper™: One each of Small, Medium and Large sizes. Push down onto your sample to firmly capture it, or slide underneath your sample to delicately support it. Holds crystals rigidly without damaging them for room temperature x-ray measurements.
MicroRuler™: One 600µm wide ruler with 25µm graduation.
MicroSaw™: Two saws. Use in conjunction with a needle to cut and remove protein skins, gel, dense lipid phases and soft tissues from around your sample.
| 60100-01 | MicroTool™ Kit 1, 20 Tools | Kit | 125.00 | Add to Cart |
MicroTool™ Kit 2
We separated out of the sample manipulator tools in Kit 2, modified and made them more durable. The tips of these tools are 15µm thick, so they generate more background x-ray scatter in x-ray beam than the tool in kit 2, however, they still far less background compared to other source of tools making)
MicroTip™: Two each 25 and 50 micrometer diameter tips. Use to poke, separate and lift samples. Also use to reposition sample on a MicroMount or MicroMesh. Shape is designed to minimize disturbance of surrounding liquid, while not scarifying tip rigidity.
MicroSpoon™: Two Small and one Large sizes. Use to push, detach from surfaces, separate from a cluster, lift and transfer. Push down to flatten tip and slide under your sample.
MicroChisel™ : Two Small and one Large sizes. Use to push, detach from surfaces, separate from a cluster, lift and transfer. Push down to flatten tip and slide under your sample.
MicroLasso™: Two Small and Large sizes. Use like a loop and lasso, pull and detach a sample from a surface.
MicroSieve™: Two Small, two Medium and Large sizes. Use to sieve samples out of solution, and to lift, transfer and soak.
MicroSaw™: Two saws. Use in conjunction with a needle to cut and remove protein skins, gel, dense lipid phases and soft tissues from around your sample.
| 60100-02 | MicroTool™ Kit 2, 20 Tools | Kit | 125.00 | Add to Cart |
MicroTool™ Kit 3
Contain 20 tools for sample measurements. Two tools designs allow measurement of linear sample dimensions, and two allow measurement of both linear and angular dimensions. Use these tools to accurately measure small and fragile samples with minimal change of sample damage. Tool tips are 10µm thick and are both optically and x-ray transparent.
Horizontal MicroRuler™: Five 500µm wide horizontal rulers with 25µm graduations.
Vertical Microruler™: Five 1000µm long vertical rulers with 25µm graduations.
Large MicroProtractor™: Five 1000µm diameter tools for measuring angles and radial distances/dimensions, with 15º and 50µm graduations. Use to measure facet angles on crystals, the major and minor axes of ellipsoidal samples, or to specify the polar coordinates of multiple samples on a single tool.
Small MicroProtractor™: Five 320µm diameter tools for measuring angles and radial distances/dimensions, with 30º and 20µm graduations.
| 60100-03 | MicroTool™ Kit 3, 20 Tools | Kit | 125.00 | Add to Cart |
MicroMounts™
MicroMounts™ are the highest performance tools for manipulating and mounting protein crystals, virus crystals, and small molecule/inorganic crystals, as well as all other small, fragile samples. They are ideal for both conventional and high-throughput X-ray crystallography applications.
MicroMounts™ consist of: A thin (7.5µm thick) micro-fabricated polyimide film, attached to a solid non-magnetic stainless steel pin. Film is wrapped around the steel pin; provides excellent stiffness and convenient scoop-like action in retrieving and handling crystals.
Film Pattern:
Crystal Aperture (A) sizes from 10 to 600µm, with minimal (B) width around the aperture to minimize background scatter in all orientations.
Wicking Hole (C) connected via drainage channel D to the crystal aperture. Hole size is compatible with size 15 or XF paper wicks. This ‘fountain-pen’-like design, allows easier removal of excess liquid, without touching the crystals with the wick.
Alignment cross (E) located a fixed distance from the center of the crystal aperture. Allow easy automated alignment of the crystal aperture (A)
Crystal aperture size code (F) around the alignment cross, allows automated recognition of Mount design, aperture, and crystal size, which determines boundaries of aperture (to be avoided), required alignment tolerance, ad area of crystal available to be scanned for optimum diffraction. Initial beam size can then be automatically selected.
Aperture size (G) in µm can be read directly off the mount.
Orientation mark (H) allows the front and back of the mount to be automatically distinguished.
Pin:
Solid 316 non-magnetic stainless steel pins. Pin is available in four standard lengths: 11 mm, 19 mm, 25 mm, and SPINE. The 11, 19, and 25 mm pin lengths, give pin base-to-crystal center distance compatible to those of nylon loops mounted on 10, 18 and 24 mm pins, respectively.
This solid pin will not suck up crystal and liquid. Pin is beveled at film end, allows good visibility of the crystals for wide range of pin orientation during crystal retrieval. Pin can be cut (with cutter pliers) to any desired length, or can be bent to place crystal in desired orientation. Pin is fitted to all standard bases.
Features:
- Easy manipulating and mounting of crystals from 700µm to less than 5µm.
- Rigid yet thin construction
- Convenient scoop-like design
- Gold hue – good mount crystal contrast
- Ideal for use at microfocus beamlines
- Completely non-magnetic
- Complete optimization of cryoprotection and flash cooling
- Low Thermal mass – rapid cooling
- Crystal aperture can be matched to crystal size and shape
- Easy removal of excess liquid
- Fully compatible with existing crystal mounting hardware
MicroMount™ Specifications
Pins
| Length | 11, 19, 25 mm and SPINE lengths, marked in 2 mm intervals. |
| Diameter | 0.025” (0.64 mm) diameter |
| Material | solid 316 non-magnetic stainless steel |
| Pin end | beveled at 30º angle at each end |
Crystal Holding Mount
| Material | polyimide |
| Crystal aperture sizes | 10, 20, 30, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600µm |
| Thickness | 7.5, 10 and 12.5 µm |
| Distance from center of E to center of A (see photo above) |
870 µm |
| Distance from pin base to center of Crystal aperture | 12.1 mm (for 11 mm pins) 20.1 mm (for 19 mm pins) 26.1 mm (for 25 mm pins) 18.5 mm (for SPINE length pins) |
| Width of wicking hole | 250 µm (~ size 15 paper wicks) |
| Length tolerance | 0.5 mm for 11, 19, and 25 mm pins 0.3 mm for SPINE pins |
Ordering:
Assortment boxes:
We recommend initially ordering of any assortment apertures listed below, so you can match the amount aperture to the size of your crystal. Then you order the size you use the most. You can choose pin lengths from 11, 19, 25, or SPINE. These pin pins can be cut to a desired length (using cutter pliers) or bent to your orientation.
- Small (A1), includes: 10, 20, 30 and 40 µm apertures
- Medium (A2), includes: 75, 150, and 200 µm apertures
- Large (A3), includes: 300, 400, 500, and 600 µm apertures
Individual MicroMount™
Each box contains 20 MicroMount™ with your choice of size and pin length.
In general, we recommend ordering our 19 mm or SPINE length pins. If you like copper post style goniometer bases and have been using 10 or 11 m pins with them, consider our B3 copper post base which accepts full 19 mm length pins.
| Description | Catalog Number |
|||
| Pin 11mm | Pin 19mm | Pin 25mm | SPINE | |
| $75.00 | $75.00 | $75.00 | $75.00 | |
| Assortment Box A1 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| Assortment Box A2 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| Assortment Box A3 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 10µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 20µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 30µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 50µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 75µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 100µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 150µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 200µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 300µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 400µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 500µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 600µm Size | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
MicroRT™ Room Temperature Mounting System
MicroRT™ is the answer for high-throughput room temperature diffraction screening and data collection. Go from crystal in a drop to crystal in the x-ray beam at room temperature in 2 minutes with 99% change of success.
You are now no-longer dealing with inadequate low temperature diffraction quality; no-longer painfully dealing with glass capillary mounting methods; and even can’t easily retrieve crystal for low-temperature data collection.
Room temperature measurements are essential to determine whether the cause is poor as –grown crystal quality, damage caused by ligand and/or cryoprotectant soaks, and/or damage caused by the flask cooling process itself.
Our patent-pending MicroRT™ system makes collecting data at room temperature as easy as at low temperatures, and allows you to collect room and low temperature data from the same crystal.
How does it worked:
First, we’ve replaced the standard 10µm wall glass capillaries with ultra-thin-wall transparent polyester tubing that produces 60% less background scatter. Second, we use a tubing diameter that’s much larger than your crystal and MicroMount, and a base that holds both the MicroMount and capture the tubing.
To prepare the sample, just inject stabilizing liquid down into the tube toward its sealed end, using a gel-loading pipette-tip. Mount your crystal on MicroMount and insert MicroMount into the base. Thirdly, pull the tubing down over the crystal and mount onto the base.
No more cutting, crushing and breaking. No more cracking and shattering crystals on sharp capillary edges. No more swishing crystals back and forth to position them. No more fiddling with wicks. No more wax. No more alignment problem, caused by capillary/liquid lensing.
Once you have collected your room temperature frames, just pop off the tubing, plunge the MicroMount in your choice of liquid cryogen, and you’re ready to collect a low-temperature data set. Or else, soak your crystal in the next solution, pop the plastic tubing back on, and repeat until you’re checked out each solution or step in your protocol.
The only disadvantage is that polyester is somewhat gas permeable. You will want to keep a good sized plug of liquid in the tube and to measure your crystals within a day of mounting to make sure they do not dehydrate. If you want to store the crystals for longer, you can replace the polyester tube with any 2mm ID glass or thick wall plastic tubing.
Features
- Ideal for both room-temperature structure determination and for diagnosing the cause of poor low-temperature diffraction
- Easy crystal mounting
- Easy collecting of both room and low-temperature data from a single crystal
- Significantly less background x-ray scatter
- Easier crystal visualization and alignment
- Accurate and reproducible crystal positioning
- Suitable for automated alignment and data collection
- One size tubing fits all.
- Tubing is reusable™.
MicroRT™ Specifications
| Length | 1.5” (38 mm) (compatible with 11 – 25 mm pin lengths) |
| Diameter | 0.0800” ± 0.004” (2 ± 0.1mm) |
| Wall Thickness | 0.001” (25 µm) |
| Material | poly(ethylene terephthalate) |
| Porosity | Water evaporation rate through wall @ 22ºC roughly 80 µg per |
NOTES: Heat seal at one end. Optically clear. Some small optical distortion is due to the small thickness variations around the circumference.
Ordering:
Each bottle contains 20 1.5” (37mm) long clear polyester tubes, sealed at one end, an extra –keen razor blade for cutting the tubes to a desired length, and a tiny tube of grease for lubricating the base (see our Goniometer Bases below, to order MicroRT compatible bases).
| 60130-T1 | MicroRT™ Tubing Kit | Kit | 100.00 | Add to Cart |
Goniometer Bases
These patent pending designs Goniometer Bases are unlike other bases available on market. Goniometer Bases tightly capture the MicroRT™ tubing to allow seamless room-temperature and low-temperature data collection.
Technical for Goniometer Bases B1, B2, and B3
Bases
| Materials | 416 magnetic stainless steel (B1, B2), copper (B2, B3) and brass (B4) |
| Base diameter at bottom | B1 – B3: inside: 9.70 mm; outside: 11.95 mm; B4:3 mm |
| Dimension of Tubing capture region | diameter: 1.93 mm, length: 5 mm (4mm for B4) |
| Central hole diameter | 0.81 mm |
| Central hole bottom-height above goniometer bead | B1, B3: 0.043” (1.1mm); B2: 0.358” (9.1mm) |
| Height of MicroMount aperture above goniometer head magnet | B1: 21 mm for 19mm pins; B2: 21mm for 11 mm pins; B3: 21mm for 19mm pins; 19.7mm for SPINE length pins |
Ordering
We offer several different base styles that are compatible with our MicroRT™ tubing and with standard cryo-tools, cryo-vials, magnetic goniometer head mounts, and most automating hardware.
- Base B1 is available in two versions: B1 (with flat ledge) and B1A (without the ledge, for ALS-style grippers used at ALS, NSLS and CHESS)
- Base B2 is a copper post-style base that accepts 11/12 mm MicroMounts™. Available only with the flat edge.
- Base B3 is available in three versions: B3 for 19 mm MicroMounts™, with the flat ledge; B3A for 19 mm MicroMount™, without the ledge; and B3S for SPINE length MicroMount™, without ledge.
- B4 is a 3 mm diameter “brass pin” style base, with the smaller central hole to tightly hold MicroMount™ and an extension to capture MicroRT™ tubing.
Base B1 – B3 are available in package of 1, 3, 6, and 20. Base 4 is available in package of 20 and 100.
NOTE: To mix bases in each package, please order by phone.
| Quantity | 1 | 3 | 6 | 20 | |
| Catalog# | 60140-01 | 60141-03 | 60142-06 | 60143-20 | |
| Price | $13 | $28 | $42 | $135 | |
| B1 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | |
| B1A | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | |
| B2 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | |
| B3 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | |
| B3A | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | |
| B3S | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | |
| Quantity | 20 | 100 | |||
| Catalog# | 60145-20 | 60145-100 | |||
| Price | $80 | $280 | |||
| B4 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
MicroMesh™ Mounts
MicroMesh™ Mounts are the tool of choice for microcrystal crystallography and diffraction experiments, especially at micro-focus beam-lines. They have been use in de novo protein structure determination from crystals as small as 5µm.
They are excellent for rods shaped crystals, and are superior to mount with elliptical apertures, because the mesh provides continuous, gentle support for rods of all sizes.
MicroMesh™ produce the smallest background scatter of any commercial mount. Their sieve-like action allows easy retrieval of sub 30µm crystals.
We offer five different sizes MicroMesh™. All are 10µm thick, with curved around tip, mounted on non-magnetic stainless steel pin as the same way as MicroMount™, producing scoop like action.
- Three of 400 µm diameter mesh area with 10, 25, and 50 µm openings
- One of 700 µm diameter with mesh area with 25 µm openings.
These four are available as single-size boxes, or in an assortment. Multiple small crystals can be retrieved and mounted together, spread out over the mesh. The diffraction properties of each crystals can be separately interrogated using a small (<100 µm) X-ray beam, so crystal heterogeneity and maximum diffraction quality yielded by a given drop’s conditions can be quickly determined. This is useful in early crystallization trials when showers of crystals and precipitate are obtained.
When a drop contains many crystals, two or more crystallographic forms may be present which can differ dramatically in the quality of their diffraction. The regular grid of each MicroMesh makes it easy to match a diffraction pattern with a crystal and habit. Minimal crystals can be used.
Excess liquid can be removed using size #15 liquid wicks. Mounts can be cleaned using Medium or Fine liquid wicks.
- The fifth MicroMesh™ Mount has an 80 µm diameter mesh area with 15µm openings.
This small head is designed to fit entirely within the 80µm and larger X-ray beams typical of standard synchrotron beam-lines and of focused laboratory sources. Consequently, you do not have to see your tiny crystal to align it, just center the 80 µm head in the beam, and your crystal will be within it.
The smaller head also makes it easier to mount a single crystal, and produces less background scatter when the beam is aligned along the plane of the film.
Ordering:
Each box contains 20 MicroMesh™ Mounts.
Assortment box contain 5 each of 400/10, 400/25, 400/50, 700/25, and 800/15 MicroMesh mounts, each attached to nonmagnetic stainless steel pin. Pins are marked in 2 mm intervals, and can be cut or to your desired length.
| Diameter | Opening | 11 mm | 19 mm | 25 mm | Spine | ||
| 60150-xx | assorted | 90.00 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | |
| 60151-xx | 400µm | 10µm | 90.00 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 60152-xx | 400µm | 25µm | 90.00 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 60153-xx | 400µm | 50µm | 90.00 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 60154-xx | 700µm | 25µm | 90.00 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
| 60155-xx | 80µm | 15µm | 90.00 | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart | Add to Cart |
Liquid Wicks
Theses paper wicks are offer a great deal of absorbency with its small tip that foam-tipped or cotton-tipped applicators can not substitute. These wicks are available sizes: 15, extra fine (XF), fine (F), and Medium (M).
Size 15 wicks fit the wicking aperture of MicroMounts, and are ideal for removing residual liquid from your crystal and mounts. Size Medium (M) and Fine (F) wicks are ideal for cleaning MiroMount
The thick end of these wicks fit into standard 0.7mm mechanical pencil.
Ordering:
Each box contains 300, 28mm long high quality, tapered paper wicks.
Order size 15 and Extra Fine (XF) for removing liquid formed around your crystal.
Order sizes Fine (F) and Medium (M) wicks for cleaning MicroMounts.
| 60160-15 | Size 15 Liquid Wicks | 300 | 19.00 | Add to Cart |
| 60160-XF | Size Extra-Fine Liquid Wicks | 300 | 19.00 | Add to Cart |
| 60160-F | Size Fine Liquid Wicks | 300 | 19.00 | Add to Cart |
| 60160-M | Size Medium Liquid Wicks | 300 | 19.00 | Add to Cart |
