Structural studies of biological macromolecules by cryo-electron microscopy

Abstract

Protein structure analysis using cryo-electron microscopy has received worldwide attention, receiving the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2017, as a core technology in basic biological research and drug development. However, limitations on the use of electron microscope for data acquisition and computing resource for processing of data make it difficult to study in cryo-EM in domestic field. In order to overcome this problem, this study aims to establish 1) condition for image acquisition using cryo-electron microscope, 2) image processing using personal server and cloud computing, and 3) case study with target proteins of interest (human ferritin, streptococcus pneumonia ClpL) using established experimental conditions. The above results are expected to contribute to facilitate the study of protein structure using cryo-electron microscopy as a basic research.