Interested in learning about macromolecular crystallography and the CMCF? Join us at our annual MxSchool! Participants will receive hands-on experience with mentors for all phases of the experimental process, from data collection to processing to structure solution. Special guest speaker Paul Emsley will also join us to present on the use of COOT in structure solution and refinement.This years program will be held virtually over 2 weeks from Nov 3-17, 2023.More information is available here.

Thank you to all those who joined us for the first ever Virtual Edition of the CLS Mx Data Collection School, November 12-13, 2020! With over 50 participants, this was our largest attendance yet. We hope to meet you all in person one day, and to see you collecting data on the beamlines in 2021.Find more information about the Annual MxSchool here!

The CMCF is currently accommodating priority Covid-19-related research. Further details about measures being taken at the CLS are available here.Resources at other facilities have also become available for researchers wishing to access remote beam time for urgent research related to Covid-19. The following facilities may be accepting proposals for such work:-  Advanced Photon Source-  ALBA Synchrotron-  BESSY II at HZB-  Diamond Light Source-  Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste-  European Synchrotron Radiation Faclity-  MAX IV-  National Synchrotron Light Source II-  Petra III at DESY-  Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource-  Swiss Light SourceImage is of a human coronavirus receptor binding domain; PDB ID 6U7E.

The CLS will be in holiday shutdown and closed December 24 (noon) until January 2, 2020. We wish you a safe and pleasant holiday season, a Merry Christmas, and look forward to a happy New Year!Details

Over the past years, the CMCF has invested in over 100 Uni-Pucks to facilitate introduction of efficient automated methods that allow Remote Control, with significant time and cost-savings from reduced travel. The equipment facilitates bringing new User Groups into the life of the facility and is used heavily for the annual CLS Mx Data Collection School. We hope to continue having loaner Uni-Pucks and tools available for those who may occasionally need extra equipment, and to support the introduction of new research groups.At the moment, the CMCF has no more loaner Uni-Pucks available. If your group has been considering the purchase of dedicated Uni-Pucks and tools, it would be an ideal time for CLS Uni-Pucks that are being replaced to be returned to the CMCF for the benefit of the community.Please feel free to contact us for advice on purchasing Uni-Pucks or other equipment. There is information along with links to suppliers on the CMCF Samples & Automounters page. We hope that the availability of the loaner equipment has served CMCF Users well and we hope to be able to continue this tradition!

On June 27, the facility's electron source failed, resulting in loss of beam. Several malfunctioning components were identified in the main electron gun’s power supply. After initial repairs, CLS staff members determined that the power supply’s transformer needed to be replaced. We regret the impact this outage will have on affected projects, and CLS staff are doing everything possible to resolve the problem. In order to complete the repairs, the CLS has had to cancel user shifts until January 2019.Link to CLS information page

On June 27, the facility's electron source failed, resulting in loss of beam. Several malfunctioning components were identified in the main electron gun’s power supply. After initial repairs, CLS staff members determined that the power supply’s transformer needed to be replaced. We regret the impact this outage will have on affected projects, and CLS staff are doing everything possible to resolve the problem. In order to complete the repairs, the CLS has had to cancel user shifts until November. Additionally, the CLS will not be opening the August call for new proposals.Full CLS News Story

Coronavirus spike protein mediates receptor binding and fusion of viral and host cell membranes. Results from this project provide a model for coronavirus adaptation to environmental changes based on the use of three extended loops for receptor binding, with such loop regions being inherently accommodating to mutational changes. Given their wide host range and zoonotic transmission to humans, coronavirus provides an important model for studying RNA viruses and emergence of new viral threats.PDB ID 6ATK.

Applications are open for the 8th Annual CLS Mx Data Collection School, being held June 4 - 8, 2018. This is an intensive 5-day hands-on data collection school intended to equip participants to effectively collect crystal diffraction data at the synchrotron as well as make use of the CMCF beamlines remotely. Attendance is limited so early application is encouraged. Application deadline is April 10. See the School webpage for more information.CLS Mx Data Collection School Homepage

Recently the CLS has transitioned to a new User Portal with additional features that you should be aware of. You can log in at https://user-portal.lightsource.ca using the same username and password that you use to access the CLS training system. If you have any trouble accessing the new User Portal, or using any of the new features, please email the USO at clsuo@lightsource.ca or call 306-657-3700. You should have received an email from the Users Office with details and a link to some instructions: User Portal Help Once you've logged in, please confirm any pending agreements on your dashboard and check your profile for accuracy. At the start of your beamtime, you will have an Active Session available on your dashboard. When the beamline is ready, your local contact will be in touch, as usual, if you have any questions about the Sign-On process.CLS User Portal

This year marked the 1000th protein structure identified using data collected at the CMCF, and deposited to the PDB. This image comprises one "pixel" for each of those proteins, and represents our users' contributions to research in cancer, heart disease, HIV, Parkinson's, antibiotic resistance, neurodegenerative diseases, and much, much more.

Applications are now open for the 7th Annual CLS Mx Data Collection School. This is an intensive 5-day hands-on data collection school intended to equip participants to effectively collect crystal diffraction data at the synchrotron as well as make use of the CMCF beamlines remotely. Attendance is limited so early application is encouraged. See the School webpage for more information.CLS Mx Data Collection School Homepage

In 1999, the Canadian crystallography community submitted a proposal to the Canadian Light Source (CLS) to build the first crystallography beamline in Canada. This beamline, together with staff and infrastructure, was to be called the Canadian Macromolecular Crystallography Facility (CMCF). In 2005, thanks to the talent and dedication of CLS employees, construction of beamline 08ID-1 was completed. That same year, construction of a second crystallography beamline, 08B1-1, began and was completed in 2009. In 2011, this beamline saw its first remote experiments.In 2006, ten years ago, the first CMCF experiment was performed. The structure depicted (PDB ID 2i1q) is from the article published with the resulting data (J. Biol. Chem. 281, 39380-7), and represents the structure of RadA recombinase in complex with calcium. This protein plays a critical role in DNA repair. Since the first CMCF experiment in 2006, the CLS has become a hub of activity for Canadian crystallographers, supporting the work of the majority of the nation’s crystallography laboratories and several international researchers. The number of publications resulting from the work of dedicated researchers using the facility has risen steadily since its inception, with over 425 peer reviewed articles, 800 structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank and several patents and dissertations.As time advances, so do the needs of the crystallography community. To this end, several exciting upgrades are being implemented. The beamlines’ goals include higher flux on both beamlines, micro-beam capabilities as well as much faster data collection and sample transfer times in order to meet tomorrow’s challenges. The CMCF sincerely thanks all of the dedicated researchers, CLS staff, Beamline Advisory Team and funding agencies for their constant and unwavering support.

This year, scheduled fall maintenance begins October 11. During this time, key components around the CLS and at the beamlines will be inspected and maintained as well as software upgrades implemented and tested. CMCF Users are welcome to submit beamtime requests for beamtime beginning in mid-November. Please see the Schedule for availability.

Applications are now open for the 6th Annual CLS Mx Data Collection School. This is an intensive 5-day hands-on data collection school intended to equip participants to effectively collect crystal diffraction data at the synchrotron as well as make use of the CMCF beamlines remotely. Additionally, this year's special topic will be an exploration of using the molecular replacement method for structure solution, and making effective use of COOT for model building with invited speaker Dr. Jeffrey Lee. Attendance is limited so early application is encouraged. See the School webpage for more information.CLS Mx Data Collection School Homepage

At this year's Annual Users Meeting, Dr. Michelle (Tonkin) Parker was recognized with the G. Michael Bancroft Ph.D. Thesis Award. Michelle completed her doctoral work, entitled "Molecular Strategies for Active Host Cell Invasion by Apicomplexan Parasites", as a graduate student in Prof. Martin Boulanger's research group at the University of Victoria. During her studies, she published several papers related to the mechanism of malarial infections. New methods to combat malaria have become increasingly important as these parasites develop resistance to available drugs. Through collaborations with groups working on malaria drug and vaccine initiatives, Michelle's results have the potential to aid the development of novel treatment strategies.Link to related CLS story

Applications are now open for the 5th Annual CLS Mx Data Collection School. This is an intensive 5-day hands-on data collection school intended to equip participants to effectively collect crystal diffraction data at the synchrotron as well as make use of the CMCF beamlines remotely. Additionally, this year's special topic will be an in-depth look at the use of Phenix during structure solution and refinement, with invited speaker Dr. Paul Adams. Attendance is limited so early application is encouraged. See the School webpage for more information.CLS Mx Data Collection School Homepage

The Canadian Light Source is celebrating an important milestone in 2015: 10 years of scientific research. This anniversary takes place during the International Year of Light - a celebration of light and light-based research, announced by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The year was designated by the UN to bring awareness to the importance of light and light-based technology, such as synchrotron radiation and its applications. The CLS is planning a series of events; please see the full news release for more information. The International Year of Light follows on the heels of the International Year of Crystallography which occured in 2014.Full CLS News Release

As 2014 drew to a close, the CMCF celebrated the release of over 500 Protein Data Bank depositions resulting from data collected at the facility. This milestone occured during the International Year of Crystallography and demonstrates the hard work and dedication of CMCF users, the beamline advisory team and the staff of the CLS. As we begin the New Year, CMCF users have now published 300 works containing data obtained from the facility in peer-reviewed journals. Shown: PDBID 2y8s.Full CLS News Release

The United Nations has proclaimed 2014 the International Year of Crystallography. Looking back through the years, 29 Nobel Prizes have been awarded for discoveries related to crystallography since 1901, an impressive number for any field. The CLS is excited to celebrate crystallographic achievements of the past and to look to the future in this landmark year.Download a full version of the poster

Applications are now open for the 4th Annual CLS Mx Data Collection School! This is an intensive 5-day hands-on data collection school intended to equip participants for effective crystal diffraction data collection, both on site and using CMCF beamlines remotely. This year, participants will delve into special topics including the molecular replacement technique, making effective use of COOT as well as structure validation with invited speaker Dr. Trevor Moraes. Attendance is limited so early application is encouraged. See the School webpage for more information.CLS Mx Data Collection School Homepage

It is again time for December maintenance and the holiday season. All of the CLS will be in scheduled Maintenance Mode followed by Shutdown Mode until January 2014. No user beamtime will be available during this short period. Best wishes for a happy and restful holiday season and a prosperous and productive 2014 from everyone at the CMCF!Schedule

It is once again time for fall maintenance and all of the CLS will be in scheduled Maintenance Mode until mid-November. No User beamtime will be available during this short period. This is a busy time when systems are maintained and components as well as software are upgraded, both around the ring and on individual beamlines. Users may submit CMCF beamtime requests for the mid-November to December period.Click for full story...

Applications are now open for the 3rd Annual CLS Mx Data Collection School. This is an intensive 5-day hands-on data collection school intended to equip participants to effectively collect crystal diffraction data at the synchrotron as well as make use of the CMCF beamlines remotely. Additionally, this year's special topic will be an in-depth look at the use of Phenix during structure solution and refinement, with invited speaker Dr. Paul Adams. Attendance is limited so early application is encouraged. See the School webpage for more information.CLS Mx Data Collection School Homepage

Due to recent construction and rearrangement of roadways on the university campus, the Canadian Light Source has received a new street address and postal code. Our new address is:Canadian Macromolecular Crystallography FacilityCanadian Light Source, Inc.University of Saskatchewan44 Innovation BoulevardSaskatoon, SKCanada S7N 2V3Contact Us

Properly-functioning voltage-gated sodium channels are critical to the normal contraction and relaxation of heart muscle cells. Calcium ions bound to another protein called calmodulin can modulate these channels. Researchers have used data obtained at the CMCF to solve the 1.35 Å structure of calcium-bound calmodulin in complex with the inactivation gate of a sodium channel. Several mutations near the calmodulin binding site have been identified which result in arrhythmias or other physiological problems. View the full CLS press release here.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 109(9), 3558-3563

Applications are now open for the 2nd Annual CLS Mx Data Collection School. This is an intensive 5-day hands-on data collection school intended to equip participants to effectively collect crystal diffraction data at the synchrotron as well as make use of the CMCF beamlines remotely. Additionally, this year's special topic will be an in-depth look at the use of COOT during structure solution and modeling, with invited speaker Dr. Trevor Moraes. Attendance is limited so early application is encouraged. See the School webpage for more information.CLS Mx Data Collection School Homepage

It is once again time for December maintenance and the holiday season. All of the CLS will be in scheduled Maintenance Mode followed by Shut Down Mode until January 2012. No user beamtime will be available during this short period. Best wishes for a happy and restful holiday season and a prosperous and productive 2012 from everyone at the CMCF!Schedule

It is once again time for fall maintenance and all of the CLS will be in scheduled Maintenance Mode until mid-November. No user beamtime will be available during this short period. This is a busy time when critical systems are maintained and components are upgraded, both in the ring and on individual beamlines.

MxLIVE (Mx Laboratory Information Virtual Environment) is the CMCF Laboratory Information Management System that will help your lab organize samples, shipments and experimental information to integrate your lab with data collection at the beamlines. When MxLIVE is used in conjunction with the MxDC data collection software, members of your team not at the beamline can easily check on the progress of experiments taking place at the beamlines and even view diffraction images through a secure web server. MxLIVE also helps you organize all of your crystal samples, information about their properties and contents, experimental parameters that you want to use for data collection, screening results and experimental results! An invaluable tool whether you are collecting data at the beamlines, collecting data remotely or sending samples for Mail-In data collection. For more information visit the MxLIVE page.MxLIVE User Guide

Researchers from Dr. Emil Pai's laboratory at the Ontario Cancer Institute were the first to benefit from the remote control capabilities that recently became available on beamline 08B1-1. This mode of operation allows researchers to collect data as though they were present at the beamline without leaving their home laboratories, thereby saving costs associated with travel. The researchers shipped their samples in standard containers which were loaded into the robotic automounter by beamline staff. Using a freely-available software client installed on their laboratory computers, the research team was able to connect to the beamline through a secure encrypted channel in order to perform their experiments with minimal intervention by beamline staff. Remote control is available on beamline 08B1-1 to users with an active proposal after completing appropriate training. Users wishing to use this capability should contact beamline staff.

The application deadline for the 1st Annual CLS Mx Data Collection School has been extended by one week to March 8, 2011. This is an intensive 5-day hands-on data collection school intended to equip participants to effectively collect crystal diffraction data at the synchrotron as well as make use of the CMCF beamlines remotely. Additionally, this year's special topic will be an in-depth look at the use of PHENIX for data analysis and structure solution with invited speaker Dr. Paul Adams. The school will take place May 16 - 20, 2011. Attendance is limited. See the School webpage for more information.CLS Mx Data Collection School Homepage

Applications are now open for the 1st Annual CLS Mx Data Collection School. This is an intensive 5-day hands-on data collection school intended to equip participants to effectively collect crystal diffraction data at the synchrotron as well as make use of the CMCF beamlines remotely. Additionally, this year's special topic will be an in-depth look at the use of PHENIX for data analysis and structure solution with invited speaker Dr. Paul Adams. Attendance is limited so early application is encouraged. See the School webpage for more information.CLS Mx Data Collection School Homepage