ABOUTCRYOEM
Cryo-EM (cryo-electron microscopy)
is a powerful technique for the visualisation and structural determination of biomolecular complexes.
What makes cryo-EM special? Small amount of sample frozen in its native state can be imaged in the electron microscope and explored with powerful image analysis techniques for conformational and compositional states.
Cryo-EM is revolutioniSing the structure biology field and is helping to solve complex biological systems at atomic level.
The future of cryo-EM is exciting. Structure determination by cryo-EM is leading itself to become an essential tool for drug discovery.
EMPHASIS offers the comprehensive capabilities and deep technical knowledge necessary to solve challenging cryo-EM projects. With years of experience, our team provides a broad range of services, from EM sample preparation to structure determination. We combine our insights and skills to optimise your performance and productivity.
Sample
Preparation
Sample quality is firstly
evaluated by negative
staining. This quick analysis reveals the shape and size of the molecules, the homogeneity as well as possible presence of binding partners.
When the sample is monodisperse and stable, it will be further investigated by cryo-EM.
Once the protein concentration, stability and ice thickness have been optimised, the sample can be taken to the next level.
High-end Data
Collection
The technical advances in stable electron microscopes and direct electron detectors have been key to the success of cryo-EM.
Collecting a high quality data set is essential. The optimal microscope, detector and hardware to use, as well as the amount of sessions, depend on the experiment planned.
Precise use of these instruments using high-throughput automated data collection software is important for achieving
high-resolution results.
Structure Determination
Data processing and structure determination can be a significant challenge.
New software tools have been developed for tackling the determination of cryo-EM density maps.
model building into the
cryo-EM map reveals the conformation of the complex and the interactions of its components.
Finally, validation of the
map and the model is an essential aspect of the analysis.