Laser-boosted cryo-EM system enables visualization of previously invisible small proteins
By
Elie Dolgin
Summary
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a laser-powered upgrade for cryo–electron microscopy (cryo-EM) that enhances contrast, enabling visualization of smaller and more elusive proteins that were previously impossible to see. Cryo-EM already revolutionized structural biology by revealing protein shapes without requiring crystallization, but it struggled with tiny proteins below ~50 kilodaltons. The new system uses a laser to boost electron energy before detection, improving signal-to-noise ratio and potentially opening up new drug targets by making these small proteins visible for the first time.
Source
bskyLaser-boosted cryo-EM system enables visualization of previously invisible small proteinsscience.orgKey quotes
· 3 pulledBy flash freezing proteins and bombarding them with electrons, cryo–electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has transformed structural biology, revealing the shape of thousands of proteins that were impossible to crystallize and decode through traditional x-ray analysis.
Now, a laser-powered upgrade could extend the technique's reach even further, bringing some of its smallest and most elusive targets into view.
Researchers at the University of California (UC), Berkeley report developing a contrast-boosting cryo-EM system that incorporates...
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