Development of basic building blocks for cryo-EM: the emcore and emvis software libraries.

Area of Science:

• Structural Biology
• Biophysics
• Computational Biology

Background:

• Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) relies heavily on image-processing software for biological structure determination.
• Recent hardware and software advancements have driven the 'cryo-EM resolution revolution,' enabling more complex biological problem-solving.
• Increased computational power and accessibility have made cryo-EM data processing more efficient, shifting from supercomputing to personal workstations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the development of emcore and emvis, foundational software libraries for cryo-EM image manipulation and data visualization.
• To provide modular components for developers to implement new algorithms and build graphical applications.
• To highlight the importance of software engineering best practices for standardized cryo-EM software development.

Main Methods:

• Development of emcore for fundamental image processing tasks in cryo-EM.
• Development of emvis for effective data visualization in cryo-EM workflows.
• Focus on modular design principles for reusability by the broader cryo-EM community.

Main Results:

• Successful creation of emcore and emvis, offering essential functionalities for cryo-EM image processing and visualization.
• Establishment of a modular software architecture facilitating integration and extension by other developers.
• Demonstration of reusable components that can accelerate the development of new cryo-EM algorithms and applications.

Conclusions:

• The development of emcore and emvis provides valuable tools for the cryo-EM community, supporting advanced structure determination.
• The modular design encourages broader adoption and adaptation, fostering innovation in cryo-EM software.
• Adherence to software engineering practices is crucial for advancing standardized and efficient software development in cryo-EM.