300 kV Electron Cryo Microscope

朱利叶斯-马克西米利安大学(JMU)的研究人员调查了生物组装支持不同功能的结构决定因素。对于这些研究，现代电子冷冻显微镜已经成为选择的方法，不仅用于2-4？分辨率的静态结构确定，而且还用于在这些组件的功能过程中详细评估结构和成分动力学。该方法可以研究不受晶体接触影响的构象空间，并能够在功能过程中同时评估不同的构象状态。为了保持JMU在大型生物机器结构研究中的领先地位，现在必须在当地的方法学组合中增加高分辨率电子冷冻显微镜。为了实现这一点，需要一台高分辨率电子低温显微镜(300千伏，肖特基发射器，直接探测器，自动数据采集软件和自动加载器)，该显微镜将集成到已经建立的低端电子低温显微镜平台中。新平台将能够在常规基础上对处于接近原子分辨率的不同功能状态的大型络合物进行内部结构确定。这将把结构生物学目前仅由X射线结晶学提供的能力扩展到更大的络合物。设想的高分辨率电子冷冻显微镜平台将为该区域的所有研究人员提供急需的资源。

Researchers at the Julius-Maximilian University (JMU) investigate the structural determinants by which biological assemblies support different functionalities. For these investigations modern electron cryo microscopy has become the method of choice not only for the static structure determination at 2-4 Å resolution but also for the detailed assessment of structural and compositional dynamics during the function of these assemblies. The method allows studying the conformational space unbiased by crystal contacts and enables the simultaneous evaluations of different conformational states during a functional process. To retain the leading position of the JMU in the structural investigation of large biological machines, it is now imperative to add high-resolution electron cryo microscopy to the local methodological portfolio. In order to implement this, a high-resolution electron cryo microscope (300 kV, Schottky-emitter, direct detector, automatic data acquisition software and auto loader) is required that will be integrated into the already established low-end electron cryo microscopy platform. The new platform will enable in-house structure determination of large complexes in different functional states close to atomic resolution on a routine basis. This will extend the capabilities in Structural Biology currently only given by X-ray crystallography towards larger complexes. The envisaged high-resolution electron cryo-microscopy platform will provide a much-needed resource for all researchers in the region.