From electron crystallography of 2D crystals to MicroED of 3D crystals. (March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martynowycz, Michael W.; Gonen, Tamir
• Is Part Of: Current opinion in colloid & interface science. Volume 34(2018)
• Page Start: 9
• Page End: 16
• Publication Date: 2018-03
• Subjects: MicroED -- Electron diffraction -- cryoEM (electorn cryo-microscopy) -- electron crystallography; Surface chemistry -- Periodicals; Colloids -- Periodicals; 541.33
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2018.01.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-0294

Abstract

Abstract: Electron crystallography is widespread in material science applications, but for biological samples its use has been restricted to a handful of examples where two-dimensional (2D) crystals or helical samples were studied either by electron diffraction and/or imaging. Electron crystallography in cryoEM, was developed in the mid-1970s and used to solve the structure of several membrane proteins and some soluble proteins. In 2013, a new method for cryoEM was unveiled and named Micro-crystal Electron Diffraction, or MicroED, which is essentially three-dimensional (3D) electron crystallography of microscopic crystals. This method uses truly 3D crystals, that are about a billion times smaller than those typically used for X-ray crystallography, for electron diffraction studies. There are several important differences and some similarities between electron crystallography of 2D crystals and MicroED. In this review, we describe the development of these techniques, their similarities and differences, and offer our opinion of future directions in both fields. Graphical abstract: Unlabelled Image Highlights: Electron crystallography of 2D crystals discussed MicroED – electron diffraction from 3D crystals discussed Methodologies compared and some examples of biological insights highlighted