Imaging Proteins Using Electrons
Imaging with electrons allows researchers to discern atomic details of large, complex molecules like proteins. During the imaging process, the interaction of electrons with the molecules being imaged inflicts damage that can alter the structure. Cryogenic temperatures (cryo-EM) can reduce the extent of this damage, but as we showed in a recent study, some parts […]
Visualizing Proteins with Cryo-EM
This image displays a number of the critical elements for determining the structure of a protein by cryo-electron microscopy. First, a solution containing many identical copies of a protein are spread on a grid (upper left), and quickly frozen to liquid nitrogen temperatures. These are imaged with an electron beam (teal), producing black-and-white images showing […]