Electron Microscopy – News and Features

Cryo-electron microscopy can visualize proteins, pathogens and cell components, but preparing samples for visualization is a cumbersome process that relies on ethane, a flammable gas at room temperature prone to explosions. Now researchers have shown that liquid nitrogen can be used in place of ethane.

Electron microscopy has harnessed the power of physics to allow us to see beyond the limits imposed by visible light. In this article, we explore how electron microscopy works, some of the common techniques and applications and ways the field continues to push the boundaries.

Transport proteins have an important role in microbial multi-drug resistance. Scientists have now described the three-dimensional structure of transport protein Pdr5, found also in a similar form in pathogenic fungi. The results could help develop mechanisms to combat dangerous pathogens.

In a new study, scientists provide the most detailed view of how human small ribosomal subunits are put together by capturing their 3D portraits at three different stages of the assembly process.

Studying viruses requires integrating several complementary MS techniques. In this article, we review a range of approaches that can address questions about virus structure and function.

Most of the cells in our bodies are locked into the right place with the help of tiny anchors. These strong anchors use protein chains to link the cell to collagen, the protein that gives structure to our body. Now, scientists have found the specific protein (or link) in the chain responsible for upholding the connection.

Food science principles have helped researchers determine how unusual droplets within cells stay organized and avoid dissolving into the rest of the cell’s gelatinous interior. The work could advance scientific understanding of cell evolution and help scientists in the food and chemical industry develop better ways to keep liquid mixtures from separating.

A specialized enzyme machinery has been discovered that enables methanogenic microorganisms to thrive under extreme energy limitation. Insights into these efficient energy-transforming processes may open new possibilities for sustainable biotechnological development.

Today, light microscopy is a core technique in many areas of science and technology. In this article, we explore the basic working principle of light microscopy and discuss some more advanced forms of light microscopy that are commonly used today, comparing their strengths and weaknesses for different applications.

This article highlights the adverse impact of microplastics (MPs) on our environment, detection methods for MPs and the challenges in the detection of MPs.