The multi-user macromolecular x-ray crystallography facility (XRF) at the Kasha Laboratory Building (KLB) in the Institute of Molecular Biophysics (IMB) provides the instrument and expertise for collecting and processing x-ray diffraction data from macromolecular single crystals, viruses, and solutions. It is one of the Core Facilities available to all the members of Structural Biology Program. XRF is located on the East side of the fourth floor of the Molecular Biophysics Building (MBB). It (floor plan) comprises of a 500 sq.ft. Detector Room (KLB 413), a 180 sq.ft. Control Room (KLB 410A), a 160 sq.ft. Crystallization Coldroom (KLB 411), and a 275 sq.ft. Crystal Room (KLB 412). The Detector Room houses three rotating anode generators, state of the art detector systems, cryo and crystal manipulation accessories. The Control Room houses Linux and Windows computers used both for detector control and data processing. Crystallization Coldroom and Crystal Room are dedicated exclusively for crystal set-up, examination, documentation, and mounting purposes.

The first generator (Rigaku RU-H2R) is equipped with an Osmic confocal mirror system, a Rigaku Image plate detector (R-Axis IIc) and an Oxford CryoStream cooler. This system allows macromolecular x-ray diffraction data collection under wide range of sample-detector distances (65 to 465 mm), variable 2-theta angles (-20.0 to +45.0°) and temperatures (100-400°K). The data collection and processing is controlled by a dedicated Dell Pentium III processor PC running Windows XPSP2. The second generator (Rigaku RU-H2R) is equipped with: 1) an Osmic confocal mirror system, a Mar-USA CCD detector (MarCCD165), and an Oxford CryoStream cooler. This system allows very rapid data collection (read time of 3 seconds) under wide range of sample-detector distances (35 to 325 mm), selected 2-theta angles and range of temperatures (100 to 400°K). Data collection and processing from this generator is controlled by a dedicated Pentium III PC running under Red Hat Linux 8.0. 2)an Osmic SAXS confocal mirror system, a Bruker X-1000 area detector (Bruker X-1000) and this system will be used to collect solution scattering data.The third generator (Elliott GX-20) is equipped with a Supper 7600 double mirror system and a stand-alone image plate. The mirror system images a 0.200 mm point focus at a take angle of 6° and is used for data collection from fibers and large-unit cell macromolecules.

The facility has a stereo-zoom microscope with digital documentation system, several optical microscopes and a low-vibration crystallization chamber for growing crystals at temperatures other than ambient and 4°C. Popular x-ray diffraction data processing software suites such as HKL2000, Mosflm, CrystalClear, CCP4, CNS, "O", etc., under different platforms are licensed and available for the users at the Facility. The Facility Director coordinates additional data collection work at the third generation synchrotron x-ray source using FSU's membership in SER-CAT Beamline 22 in Advanced Photon Source.