scholarly journals The Three-dimensional Constitution of Micelle Forming Surfactants as Studied by Cryo Electron Microscopy and Tomography

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (S02) ◽  
pp. 1544-1545
Author(s):  
N Chebotareva ◽  
PH H Bomans ◽  
F De Haas ◽  
D Hubert ◽  
P Frederik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2006 in Chicago, Illinois, USA, July 30 – August 3, 2006

scholarly journals Capturing Enveloped Viruses on Affinity Grids for Downstream Cryo-Electron Microscopy Applications

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriella Kiss ◽  
Xuemin Chen ◽  
Melinda A. Brindley ◽  
Patricia Campbell ◽  
Claudio L. Afonso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Measles Virus ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Nitrilotriacetic Acid ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Enveloped Viruses ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Virus

AbstractElectron microscopy (EM), cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) are essential techniques used for characterizing basic virus morphology and determining the three-dimensional structure of viruses. Enveloped viruses, which contain an outer lipoprotein coat, constitute the largest group of pathogenic viruses to humans. The purification of enveloped viruses from cell culture presents certain challenges. Specifically, the inclusion of host-membrane-derived vesicles, the complete destruction of the viruses, and the disruption of the internal architecture of individual virus particles. Here, we present a strategy for capturing enveloped viruses on affinity grids (AG) for use in both conventional EM and cryo-EM/ET applications. We examined the utility of AG for the selective capture of human immunodeficiency virus virus-like particles, influenza A, and measles virus. We applied nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid lipid layers in combination with molecular adaptors to selectively adhere the viruses to the AG surface. This further development of the AG method may prove essential for the gentle and selective purification of enveloped viruses directly onto EM grids for ultrastructural analyses.

scholarly journals The Core and Holoenzyme Forms of RNA Polymerase from Mycobacterium smegmatis

2018 ◽  
Vol 201 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomáš Kouba ◽  
Jiří Pospíšil ◽  
Jarmila Hnilicová ◽  
Hana Šanderová ◽  
Ivan Barvík ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Mycobacterium Smegmatis ◽  
Drug Target ◽  
Conformational Dynamics ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Bacterial Rna ◽  
High Degree

ABSTRACT Bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) is essential for gene expression and as such is a valid drug target. Hence, it is imperative to know its structure and dynamics. Here, we present two as-yet-unreported forms of Mycobacterium smegmatis RNAP: core and holoenzyme containing σA but no other factors. Each form was detected by cryo-electron microscopy in two major conformations. Comparisons of these structures with known structures of other RNAPs reveal a high degree of conformational flexibility of the mycobacterial enzyme and confirm that region 1.1 of σA is directed into the primary channel of RNAP. Taken together, we describe the conformational changes of unrestrained mycobacterial RNAP. IMPORTANCE We describe here three-dimensional structures of core and holoenzyme forms of mycobacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) solved by cryo-electron microscopy. These structures fill the thus-far-empty spots in the gallery of the pivotal forms of mycobacterial RNAP and illuminate the extent of conformational dynamics of this enzyme. The presented findings may facilitate future designs of antimycobacterial drugs targeting RNAP.

scholarly journals Cryomesh™: A New Substrate for Cryo-Electron Microscopy

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Yoshioka ◽  
Bridget Carragher ◽  
Clinton S. Potter
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Quality Of Data ◽  
Temperature Conductivity ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Collection Methods

AbstractHere we evaluate a new grid substrate developed by ProtoChips Inc. (Raleigh, NC) for cryo-transmission electron microscopy. The new grids are fabricated from doped silicon carbide using processes adapted from the semiconductor industry. A major motivating purpose in the development of these grids was to increase the low-temperature conductivity of the substrate, a characteristic that is thought to affect the appearance of beam-induced movement (BIM) in transmission electron microscope (TEM) images of biological specimens. BIM degrades the quality of data and is especially severe when frozen biological specimens are tilted in the microscope. Our results show that this new substrate does indeed have a significant impact on reducing the appearance and severity of beam-induced movement in TEM images of tilted cryo-preserved samples. Furthermore, while we have not been able to ascertain the exact causes underlying the BIM phenomenon, we have evidence that the rigidity and flatness of these grids may play a major role in its reduction. This improvement in the reliability of imaging at tilt has a significant impact on using data collection methods such as random conical tilt or orthogonal tilt reconstruction with cryo-preserved samples. Reduction in BIM also has the potential for improving the resolution of three-dimensional cryo-reconstructions in general.

scholarly journals A national facility for biological cryo-electron microscopy

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen R. Saibil ◽  
Kay Grünewald ◽  
David I. Stuart
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Particle Analysis ◽  
Dimensional Electron ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Cellular Context ◽  
Molecular Machinery ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Integrated Structural Biology ◽  
Expert Support

Three-dimensional electron microscopy is an enormously powerful tool for structural biologists. It is now able to provide an understanding of the molecular machinery of cells, disease processes and the actions of pathogenic organisms from atomic detail through to the cellular context. However, cutting-edge research in this field requires very substantial resources for equipment, infrastructure and expertise. Here, a brief overview is provided of the plans for a UK national three-dimensional electron-microscopy facility for integrated structural biology to enable internationally leading research on the machinery of life. State-of-the-art equipment operated with expert support will be provided, optimized for both atomic-level single-particle analysis of purified macromolecules and complexes and for tomography of cell sections. The access to and organization of the facility will be modelled on the highly successful macromolecular crystallography (MX) synchrotron beamlines, and will be embedded at the Diamond Light Source, facilitating the development of user-friendly workflows providing near-real-time experimental feedback.

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