Zernike phase contrast cryo-electron microscopy and tomography for structure determination at nanometer and subnanometer resolutions.

ABSTRACT: Zernike phase contrast cryo-electron microscopy (ZPC-cryoEM) is an emerging technique that is capable of producing higher image contrast than conventional cryoEM. By combining this technique with advanced image processing methods, we achieved subnanometer resolution for two biological specimens: 2D bacteriorhodopsin crystal and epsilon15 bacteriophage. For an asymmetric reconstruction of epsilon15 bacteriophage, ZPC-cryoEM can reduce the required amount of data by a factor of approximately 3, compared with conventional cryoEM. The reconstruction was carried out to 13 A resolution without the need to correct the contrast transfer function. New structural features at the portal vertex of the epsilon15 bacteriophage are revealed in this reconstruction. Using ZPC cryo-electron tomography (ZPC-

SUBMITTER: Murata K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2925294 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature