300kV high-resolution cryo electron microscopie setup

Cryo-EM最近改变了结构生物学和细胞生物学领域，为生命科学中大量棘手的挑战提供了见解。真正的原子分辨率成像纯化的大分子机器，以及直接在其原生环境中的动态复合物的机理研究，现在触手可及。明斯特大学是“细胞动力学和多尺度成像”和“纳米科学”研究领域的世界领先大学，但目前还没有进入冷冻EM。然而，需求是巨大的，一些研究项目和跨学科结构研究的成功高度依赖于这种关键方法。广泛的用户群包括来自医学，生物学和化学以及药学系的团体。为了满足社区的需求，cryo-EM仪器将是单粒子分析和细胞冷冻电子断层扫描工作流程的最佳选择，因此涵盖了非常广泛的样品：合成纳米结构，纯化的大分子组装，膜蛋白，病毒，细胞器，全细胞和切片。所要求的仪器包括120 kV屏蔽TEM、集成相关荧光显微镜的低温聚焦离子束显微镜和配备直接检测器、能量过滤器和Volta相位板的高端300 kV低温TEM，这些仪器最佳地满足了这些要求，并将以最大能力使用。冷冻EM仪器可以毫不拖延地安装在新的跨学科研究大楼“软纳米科学中心”，该中心最初设计用于托管此类仪器，并且已经包括一个专用的超现代冷冻EM区域。这项急需的投资将成为WWU研究概况发展的中心枢纽和孵化器，也是在国际研究领域保持多尺度成像竞争力的先决条件。

Cryo-EM has recently transformed the fields of structural biology and cell biology, providing insights into a plethora of intractable challenges in life sciences. True atomic resolution imaging of purified macromolecular machines, as well as mechanistic studies of dynamic complexes directly in their native environment, are now within reach. Münster is a world leading University in the research areas of “Cells Dynamics and Multiscale Imaging” and “Nanoscience”, but currently has no access to cryo-EM. The demand is, however, immense and the success of several research projects and interdisciplinary structural studies are highly dependent on this key methodology. The broad user-base includes groups from the faculties of Medicine, Biology and Chemistry and Pharmacy. To serve the needs of the community, the cryo-EM instrumentation will be optimal for both single particle analysis and cellular cryo-electron tomography workflows and thus cover a very wide range of samples: synthetic nanostructures, purified macromolecular assemblies, membrane proteins, viruses, organelles, whole cells and sections. The requested instrumentation with a 120kV screening TEM, a cryo-Focused-Ion-Beam Microscope with an integrated correlative fluorescence light microscope and a high-end 300kV cryo-TEM equipped with direct detector, energy filter and Volta Phase Plate fulfill these requirements optimally and will be used at their full capacities. The cryo-EM instruments can be installed without any delays at the new interdisciplinary research building “Center for Soft Nanoscience”, which was originally designed to host such instrumentation and already includes a dedicated ultra-modern cryo-EM area. This urgently needed investment will be a central hub and incubator for the development of WWU’s research profiles, as well as a prerequisite to remain competitive in Multiscale Imaging in the international research landscape.