The 3-Dimensional Molecular Structure of the Actin Filament Revisited

Author(s):  
U. Aebi ◽  
R. Millonig ◽  
H. Salvo

To date, most 3-D reconstructions of undecorated actin filaments have been obtained from actin filament paracrystal data (for refs, see 1,2). However, due to the fact that (a) the paracrystals may be several filament layers thick, and (b) adjacent filaments may sustantially interdigitate, these reconstructions may be subject to significant artifacts. None of these reconstructions has permitted unambiguous tracing or orientation of the actin subunits within the filament. Furthermore, measured values for the maximal filament diameter both determined by EM and by X-ray diffraction analysis, vary between 6 and 10 nm. Obviously, the apparent diameter of the actin filament revealed in the EM will critically depend on specimen preparation, since it is a rather flexible supramolecular assembly which can easily be bent or distorted. To resolve some of these ambiguities, we have explored specimen preparation conditions which may preserve single filaments sufficiently straight and helically ordered to be suitable for single filament 3-D reconstructions, possibly revealing molecular detail.

Author(s):  
Walter E. Fowler ◽  
Ueli Aebi

Although the structure of the actin filament has been studied extensively both, by X-ray diffraction analysis and by electron microscopy and structure reconstruction, molecular models of actin have been obtained only recently. However none of the crystalline forms used in these latter studies are made directly from filaments. Since the resolution of current filament models is insufficient to allow unambiguous tracing of the actin subunits within them [e.g.2], the orientation of molecular models within such filament models is speculative. A primary constraint on the overall orientation of the elongated and polar actin subunit model within the actin filament is the 'true' width of the filament: reported values as obtained by electron microscopy range from 6 to 8nm for negatively stained specimens and to 9.5nm or more for rotary shadowed filaments [reviewed in 3]. Furthermore, X-ray solution scattering of actin filaments has revealed an average width of 7nm. Using a variety of different specimen preparation methods, we have endeavoured to set realistic upper and lower limits for this crucial parameter.


1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (11) ◽  
pp. 1707-1716 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Coulthard ◽  
S Degen ◽  
Y -J Zhu ◽  
T K Sham

Utilizing porous silicon as a reducing agent and a substrate, gold complex ions [AuCl4]- were reduced from aqueous solution to produce nanoparticles of gold upon the surface of porous silicon. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to study the morphology of the porous silicon layers and the deposits of gold nanoparticles. It is found that preparation conditions have a profound effect on the morphology of the deposits, especially on porous silicon prepared from a p-type wafer. The gold nanoparticles, varying from micrometric aggregates of clusters of the order of 10 nm, to a distribution of nearly spherical clusters of the order of 10 nm, to strings of ~10 nm were observed and compared to bulk gold metal using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). These techniques confirm and complement the SEM findings. The potential for this reductive deposition technique is noted.Key words: gold nanostructures, reductive deposition, porous silicon, morphology, X-ray spectroscopy.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuliang Guo ◽  
Huixin Jin ◽  
Yuandan Xiao ◽  
Huahao Song ◽  
Shangjiefu Wang

Abstract Based on the composition of Cr-doped solid waste, other oxides were added to adjust the composition to prepare glass-ceramics with on step composition, and the effect of heat treatment system (including temperature and holding time), chromium content, MnO and Fe2O3 doped on the crystallization and physical properties of glass-ceramics was studied. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the best treatment conditions are 1090 ℃ for 4h, and the amount of dissolved chromium reaches 5%. The main crystallization phase is diopside and anorthite. The hardness and chemical stability of the material were measured. The doping of MnO and Fe2O3 increases the crystallization activation energy of glass ceramics, and makes the crystal phase more uniform as the SEM results. This experiment provides a theoretical basis for the preparation of CMAS glass ceramics from chromium containing solid waste.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (01n02) ◽  
pp. 103-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gia Co Quan ◽  
Morgane Denis ◽  
Brian Abeykoon ◽  
Jean-Bernard Tommasino ◽  
Erwann Jeanneau ◽  
...  

The reactivity of two phenolic porphyrins bearing respectively catechol and gallol-derived meso substituents (5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)porphyrin and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)porphyrin) with trivalent metallic ions (Fe, Mn, In) was studied. Six supramolecular compounds were obtained and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. In each compound, the supramolecular assembly was based on the axial coordination of a phenolate function to the metallic ion lying in the porphyrinic core. A great diversity of supramolecular architectures was accessible through such simple arrangements, and objects ranging from dimers to one-dimensional polymers were isolated. Some of these assemblies were further investigated in solution by mass spectrometry and by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. For the iron-based materials, the redox behavior was studied in solution through cyclic voltammetry experiments in inert conditions and under air.


1996 ◽  
Vol 51 (12) ◽  
pp. 1209-1215 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Bionducci ◽  
G. Licheri ◽  
A. Musinu ◽  
G. Navarra ◽  
G. Piccaluga ◽  
...  

Abstract In order to clarify the reason of some discrepancies existing in literature, the zinc coordination in a Zn metaphosphate glass has been investigated by the complementary use of X-Ray Diffraction, Neutron Diffraction, Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy and X-Ray Anoma-lous Scattering. All the techniques indicate a tetrahedral coordination of O atoms around Zn :+ ions, the Zn-O distance being 1.94 ± 0.01 Å. The simultaneous modelling of all the experimental data by Reverse Monte Carlo technique demonstrated that this coordination is consistent with an extended model in which metal ions are interposed between phosphate chains. The importance of describing the preparation conditions of the glasses is stressed when structural results have to be compared.


Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (24) ◽  
pp. 4624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaekwang Kim ◽  
Hyunchul Kang ◽  
Keebum Hwang ◽  
Songhun Yoon

Herein, thermal decomposition experiments of lithium peroxide (Li2O2) were performed to prepare a precursor (Li2O) for sacrificing cathode material, Li2NiO2. The Li2O2 was prepared by a hydrometallurgical reaction between LiOH·H2O and H2O2. The overall reaction during annealing was found to involve the following three steps: (1) dehydration of LiOH·H2O, (2) decomposition of Li2O2, and (3) pyrolysis of the remaining anhydrous LiOH. This stepwise reaction was elucidated by thermal gravimetric and quantitative X-ray diffraction analyses. Furthermore, over-lithiated lithium nickel oxide (Li2NiO2) using our lithium precursor was synthesized, which exhibited a larger yield of 90.9% and higher irreversible capacity of 261 to 265 mAh g−1 than the sample prepared by commercially purchased Li2O (45.6% and 177 to 185 mAh g−1, respectively) due to optimal powder preparation conditions.


2014 ◽  
Vol 926-930 ◽  
pp. 145-149
Author(s):  
Ping Lan ◽  
Yu Xian Feng ◽  
Ri Mei He ◽  
Lei Lei Qiao ◽  
Li Hong Lan ◽  
...  

The magnetic composite microspheres of cassava starch have been prepared by magnetization of one-step oxidation, using cassava starch as natural macromolecule material. The condition effect on magnetic content was evaluated by single factor experiments, such as the mass concentration of starch, reaction temperature, reaction time, stirring speed, initial pH and ferrous solution volume. Preparation conditions were optimized by these evaluation experiments. The prepared magnetic composite microspheres were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and other means.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 1803-1818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amane Kobayashi ◽  
Yuki Takayama ◽  
Koji Okajima ◽  
Mao Oide ◽  
Takahiro Yamamoto ◽  
...  

X-ray diffraction imaging is a technique for visualizing the structure of biological cells. In X-ray diffraction imaging experiments using synchrotron radiation, cryogenic conditions are necessary in order to reduce radiation damage in the biological cells. Frozen-hydrated biological specimens kept at cryogenic temperatures are also free from drying and bubbling, which occurs in wet specimens under vacuum conditions. In a previous study, the diffraction apparatus KOTOBUKI-1 [Nakasako et al. (2013), Rev. Sci. Instrum. 84, 093705] was constructed for X-ray diffraction imaging at cryogenic temperatures by utilizing a cryogenic pot, which is a cooling device developed in low-temperature physics. In this study a new cryogenic pot, suitable for tomography experiments, has been developed. The pot can rotate a biological cell over an angular range of ±170° against the direction of the incident X-ray beam. Herein, the details and the performance of the pot and miscellaneous devices are reported, along with established experimental procedures including specimen preparation. The apparatus has been used in tomography experiments for visualizing the three-dimensional structure of a Cyanidioschyzon merolae cell with an approximate size of 5 µm at a resolution of 136 nm. Based on the experimental results, the necessary improvements for future experiments and the resolution limit achievable under experimental conditions within a maximum tolerable dose are discussed.


2006 ◽  
Vol 519-521 ◽  
pp. 1569-1578
Author(s):  
Dorte Juul Jensen

By 3 dimensional X-ray diffraction (3DXRD) using high energy X-rays from synchrotron sources it is possible to study in-situ the nucleation and growth during recrystallization. In this paper it is described and discussed how 3DXRD can supplement EBSP measurements of nucleation and growth. Three types of studies are considered: i) orientation relationships between nuclei and parent deformed matrix, ii) recrystallization kinetics of individual bulk grains and iii) filming of growing grains in deformed single crystals.


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