激光增强显微镜揭示难以捉摸的蛋白质

Enhanced cryo–electron microscopes reveal new drug targets and sharpen views inside cells ELIE DOLGIN B y flash freezing proteins and bombarding them with electrons, cryo–electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has transformed structural biology, revealing the shape of thousands of proteins that were impossible to crystallize and decode through traditional x-ray analysis. Now, a laser-powered upgrade could extend the technique’s reach even further, bringing some of its smallest and most elusive targets into view. Researchers at the University of California (UC), Berkeley report developing a contrast-boosting cryo-EM system that incorporates powerful beams of laser light to make tiny proteins stand out from the surrounding haze. …