Advancing High-Resolution Imaging of Virus Assemblies in Liquid and Ice

Area of Science:

• Structural biology
• Biophysics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Liquid electron microscopy (liquid-EM) allows real-time nanoscale observation.
• Understanding dynamic biological processes is crucial for drug development and disease research.
• Visualizing biomolecules in a native fluid environment offers unique performance insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present novel methods for investigating nanoscale properties of virus assemblies in liquid and vitreous ice.
• To compare sample preparation techniques for liquid-EM.
• To provide insights into molecular dynamics relevant to human health and disease.

Main Methods:

• Development of new liquid-electron microscopy techniques.
• Use of well-defined virus assemblies as model systems.
• Side-by-side comparison of sample preparation and imaging methods.

Main Results:

• Achieved sub-nanometer resolution (~3.5-Å-10 Å) for structures in liquid.
• Demonstrated dynamic insights into vaccine candidates and antibody therapies.
• Presented correlative structural information from liquid and vitreous ice samples.

Conclusions:

• Newly developed liquid-EM methods enhance visualization of molecular dynamics.
• Correlative imaging in liquid and ice provides a comprehensive understanding of biological structures.
• This approach advances the study of biomolecular function in health and disease.