Lattice filter for processing image data of three-dimensional protein nanocrystals

When 300 kV cryo-EM images at Scherzer focus are acquired from ∼ 100 nm thick three-dimensional protein nanocrystals using a Falcon 2 direct electron detector, Fourier transformation can reveal the crystalline lattice to surprisingly high resolutions, even though the images themselves seem to be devoid of any contrast. Here, it is reported how this lattice information can be enhanced by means of a wave finder in combination with Wiener-type maximum-likelihood filtering. This procedure paves the way towards full three-dimensional structure determination at high resolution for protein crystals.