Today’s installment of Broadcasts of the Bumbling Biochemist: The Bumbling Biochemist gets Crafty (and sticky) Configuring CryoLoops to Collect her Crystals! THREAD #thebumblingbiochemist #biochemistry #crystallography #scicomm #BroadCastsoftheBumblingBiochemist #lifeinthelab 1/n pic.twitter.com/HBRUZFVPre
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
Good news 😀: the bumbling biochemist has crystals!
Bad news 😧: #thebumblingbiochemist must rescue these crystals from the sea of liquid they’re swimming in before they drown (or before a skin forms around the drop, trapping them to suffocate as the liquid dries up…) 2/n pic.twitter.com/FOTaYacrjP
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
Worse news 😧😧: the bumbling biochemist has only attempted such a rescue once and wasn’t very good at it…
This time, can she save the crystals before it's too later? We’ll have to find out in another episode. Today, she’s just preparing for tomorrow’s rescue mission. 3/n
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
The rescue strategy: use a tiny metal loop (CryoLoop) like a life preserver to scoop out each crystal separately, freeze them, and transport them to a synchrotron for X-ray imaging 4/n
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
The “life-preservers” come in different sizes – different hole diameters as well as different thicknesses. 5/n pic.twitter.com/9VMKBrOPtr
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
But you can't just toss in a life preserver to someone in the middle of the ocean – you need a “rope” to pull them out – each loop is attached to a metal “microtube” 6/n pic.twitter.com/W1Zitqoy5H
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
In addition to helping you pull out the crystals, the microtube also helps you position the crystals for imaging. This means that the tubes must be the right length to place your crystal in the direct path of the X-ray beams. 6/n
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
Problem: different beam sources have different equipment, so the needed length varies
Solution: microtubes with “snap off” ends – the microtubes are “perforated” at lengths corresponding to the common beam source equipment requirements 7/n pic.twitter.com/kgEDvR8Fp0
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
Now, we need a way to connect the microtube to the imager when they go in for their X-rays. The different types of loops & tube lengths all have to fit in the same machine. This is possible with the use of standardized magnetic sample mounts (aka cap, pin or goniometer base) 8/n pic.twitter.com/hkaJ1oXEx8
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
Each tube simply slides into the cap 😀 – but it also simply slides right back out… 😧
This problem calls for some serious glue! The bumbling biochemist uses epoxy glue to get the tube to stay put 9/n pic.twitter.com/eIy5h2OIJa
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
The base also snaps onto the end of a magnetic wand ⏩ increases the "rope" length attached to the life preserver when The Bumbling Biochemist attempts her crystal rescue! 10/n pic.twitter.com/L6qZpEHz72
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
Because the Bumbling Biochemist is still a “lifeguard-in-training,” she doesn’t know which “life preserver” (cryoloop) style she prefers (it’s largely a matter of personal preference), so she prepares an assortment to try out (labeling the caps so she knows which are which). 11/n pic.twitter.com/AUtsvUG0i1
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
Once the glue’s dried, it’s time to preserve the life preservers! These special cryovials have magnetic hoops around the top that snap to the rim of the cap to keep them snug for storage! 12/n pic.twitter.com/U3HPU1ZwLC
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
Mission Configuring Cryoloops Accomplished! Stay tuned to #BroadcastsOfTheBumblingBiochemist to find out if Operation Collect Crystals is a success! 13/13 pic.twitter.com/WjRIZw4Ouq
— Brianna Bibel (@biochem_bri) April 4, 2018
