What is cryo-electron microscopy?

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is a technique where biological samples are flash-frozen and imaged using an electron microscope. This allows scientists to determine the 3D structures of proteins and other biological molecules at near-atomic resolution without the need for crystallization.

Why is cryo-EM important?

Cryo-EM is important because it can determine structures of molecules that are difficult or impossible to crystallize, including membrane proteins and large molecular complexes. It has revolutionized structural biology and drug discovery.

What is the resolution of cryo-EM?

Modern cryo-EM can achieve resolutions better than 2 Angstroms, allowing visualization of individual atoms. This resolution revolution was recognized with the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

What is Cryo-EM?

Cryogenic electron microscopy is a Nobel Prize-winning technique that has revolutionized our ability to visualize biological molecules at atomic resolution

Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2017Awarded for developing cryo-EM

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is a revolutionary technique that allows scientists to visualize the three-dimensional structures of biological molecules, such as proteins and viruses, at near-atomic resolution. Unlike traditional methods that require crystallizing samples, cryo-EM preserves molecules in their native state by rapidly freezing them in a thin layer of vitreous ice.

How Does Cryo-EM Work?

Sample Preparation

A purified protein solution is applied to a specialized grid and rapidly frozen (vitrified) to preserve the molecules in their native state.

Imaging

The frozen sample is placed in a transmission electron microscope, where thousands of 2D images are captured from different orientations.

3D Reconstruction

Sophisticated computational algorithms combine the 2D images to reconstruct a detailed 3D structure of the molecule.

Applications

Drug Discovery

Understanding protein structures helps researchers design more effective drugs that can precisely target disease-causing molecules.

Virus Research

Cryo-EM reveals the structures of viruses, enabling development of vaccines and antiviral treatments, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Membrane Proteins

Proteins embedded in cell membranes are notoriously difficult to crystallize but can be readily studied using cryo-EM.

Molecular Machines

Large protein complexes like ribosomes and spliceosomes can be visualized in action, revealing how they function.

Key Techniques

Single-Particle Analysis

The most common cryo-EM method, where images of thousands of identical particles are combined to determine high-resolution structures. Ideal for purified proteins and complexes.

Cryo-Electron Tomography

Used to study unique structures within cells. The sample is tilted and imaged from multiple angles to create a 3D reconstruction of cellular environments.

Explore Our Cryo-EM Facilities

cryoNET provides access to state-of-the-art cryo-EM instrumentation across the Nordic region.

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