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Cryoelectron microscopy of icosahedral virus particles
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|July 28, 2007
Summary
Cryoelectron microscopy and image reconstruction now routinely determine icosahedral virus structures to subnanometer resolution. This allows visualization of protein secondary structures and derivation of capsid protein folds.
Area of Science:
- Structural biology
- Virology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Advancements in instrumentation and computing have made high-resolution cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) accessible.
- Determining virus structures is crucial for understanding their biology and developing antivirals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail methods for subnanometer resolution structural determination of icosahedral viruses using cryo-EM.
- To explain how to extract structural information from resulting 3D density maps.
Main Methods:
- Cryoelectron microscopy and image reconstruction techniques.
- Computational processing of micrograph data.
- Bioinformatic analysis of viral protein components.
Main Results:
- Subnanometer resolution (6-10 A) structures of icosahedral viruses are achievable.
- Secondary structure elements within viral protein subunits become discernible.
- Capsid protein folds can be derived by integrating 3D maps with bioinformatics.
Conclusions:
- Cryo-EM provides routine access to detailed structural information of viruses.
- This resolution enables insights into protein folding and assembly of viral capsids.
