11 DEC 2019 - Rouslan Efremov (VIB-VUB, Belgium)

Automated single particle cryo-EM using cryoARM300

Abstract

During the last few years single particle electron cryogenic microscopy (cryo-EM) has become an indispensable tool for determining high-resolution structures of biological macromolecules. As a consequence, the time on high-resolution microscopes is in high demand. Therefore high-throughput data collection is a key requirement for modern cryogenic electron microscopes. One of the first new generation cryogenic electron microscope from JEOL cryoARM300 has been installed at VIB-VUB in Brussels in 2018. This microscope is equipped with cold FEG, in-column Omega energy filter, K3 direct electron detector, automated sample storage and loading system. We have performed systematic assessment the performance of cryoARM300 during automated single particle data collection and benchmarked the microscope using apoferritin and GroEL. In the presentation I will discuss the performance of the microscope and outline the future challenges.