CRYO-ELECTRON MICROSCOPY SERVICE
Presentation
Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is an advanced imaging technique used to study the structures of biological macromolecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids, at near-atomic resolution. The “cryo” in cryo-EM refers to the fact that the samples are frozen at extremely low temperatures to preserve their native structures. This method has revolutionized structural biology, allowing researchers to visualize biological molecules in their natural state without the need for staining or crystallization.
Here are key points to explain cryo-electron microscopy:
Sample Preparation: The biological sample is rapidly frozen in a thin layer of vitreous ice, which is a non-crystalline and amorphous form of ice. Rapid freezing prevents the formation of ice crystals, preserving the sample in a near-native state.
High-Resolution Imaging: Cryo-EM uses a transmission electron microscope (TEM) to pass a beam of electrons through the frozen sample. Electrons interact with the sample, and the resulting images provide high-resolution details of the molecular structure. The technique can achieve resolutions that allow visualization of individual atoms in a molecule.
Three-Dimensional Reconstruction: Cryo-EM typically involves collecting a series of two-dimensional images of the sample from different angles. These images are then computationally combined to generate a three-dimensional reconstruction of the structure. This process is often referred to as single-particle reconstruction when studying isolated particles.
Advantages Over X-ray Crystallography: Unlike X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM does not require the crystallization of samples, which can be challenging for certain molecules. Cryo-EM is particularly powerful for large and complex structures, such as membrane proteins and macromolecular complexes.
Applications: Cryo-EM has been instrumental in solving the structures of a wide range of biological molecules, including viruses, ribosomes, and various cellular organelles. It has provided crucial insights into the understanding of biological processes and has implications for drug discovery and development.
Dynamic Structures: Cryo-EM can capture dynamic processes by imaging samples in different conformations. This capability is particularly valuable for studying biological molecules that undergo structural changes during their function.
In summary, cryo-electron microscopy is a cutting-edge technique in structural biology that allows scientists to visualize the detailed structures of biological macromolecules in their native and functional states with unprecedented resolution.
Our cryo-EM Facility provides samples preparation machines access, training as well as scientific and technical support for sample preparation to data processing.