In order to fully understand biological processes, and how they fail in disease, it is vital to obtain structural information for the relevant biological machinery. Notably, it is becoming increasingly apparent that proteins, the key biological players in fundamental biology or disease mechanisms, often adopt multiple conformations or act in complexes with other proteins.
These large and/or dynamic systems present a challenge to traditional methods of 3D structural determination as X-Ray crystallography or NMR. Fortunately, cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) techniques, particularly single particle analysis (SPA), have emerged as a well-suited approach for the determination of native protein function and the dynamics of complex biological systems.
In Cryo-EM, specimens are rapidly frozen (vitrified) so that their biologically relevant native states are preserved. SPA can then obtain structural details of the specimen at near atomic resolution. This technique has transformed the field of structural biology, leading to new insight into numerous biological processes.
The Thermo Scientific™ Tundra™ Cryo-TEM is a cryo-transmission electron microscope dedicated to SPA, bringing this powerful technique to every biochemistry laboratory. The Tundra Cryo-TEM is specially designed for new users who are not experts in electron microscopy. It is easier to use than typical cryo-TEM instruments, fits into a standard lab space, and matches funding opportunities globally. The Tundra is a powerful tool that can help answer your most challenging research questions, offering structural determination at biologically relevant resolutions.
Please join the NDIIF team as we explore this new capability. This is a free informational webinar. Registration is required. The event will be held via Zoom.
Originally published at imaging.nd.edu.