Cryo-electron microscopy: an introduction to the technique, and considerations when working to establish a national facility

摘要

Cryogenic-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has recently emerged as a powerful technique in structural biology that is capable of delivering high-resolution density maps of macromolecular structures. Resolutions approaching 1.5 ? are now possible and maps in the 1-4-? range inform the construction of atomistic models with a high degree of confidence. This new capacity for investigators to determine macromolecular structures at high resolution and without the need for crystallogenesis has led to an explosion of interest in adopting cryo-EM. Consequently, there is a large unmet need for both training in cryo-EM methods and the establishment of new cryo-EM facilities to support structural biology research across the globe.