Microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) for high-resolution structure determination

Area of Science:

• Structural biology
• Crystallography
• Materials science

Background:

• Microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) is a powerful technique for high-resolution structure determination.
• It overcomes limitations of traditional methods by using significantly smaller crystals.
• MicroED is applicable to diverse samples, including biological macromolecules and small organic molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current Microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) methodology and applications.
• To discuss the fundamental principles underlying MicroED.
• To highlight similarities and differences in applying MicroED to biological macromolecules versus small molecules.

Main Methods:

• Acquisition of electron diffraction data from microcrystals.
• Structure determination using MicroED data.
• Comparative analysis of MicroED protocols for different sample types.

Main Results:

• MicroED enables high-resolution structure determination from crystals orders of magnitude smaller than required for traditional methods.
• The technique is effective for difficult targets in both biological and small molecule crystallography.
• Detailed methodology and applications are presented, serving as a primer for researchers.

Conclusions:

• Microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) is a versatile and robust method for high-resolution structure determination.
• Understanding MicroED principles and applications is crucial for researchers in structural biology and materials science.
• This review provides a comprehensive guide for utilizing MicroED across various scientific disciplines.