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Cryo-electron microscopy of viruses

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Abstract

Thin vitrified layers of unfixed, unstained and unsupported virus suspensions can be prepared for observation by cryo-electron microscopy in easily controlled conditions. The viral particles appear free from the kind of damage caused by dehydration, freezing or adsorption to a support that is encountered in preparing biological samples for conventional electron microscopy. Cryo-electron microscopy of vitrified specimens offers possibilities for high resolution observations that compare favourably with any other electron microscopical method.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Postfach 10.2209, D-6900, Heidelberg, FRG

    Marc Adrian, Jacques Dubochet, Jean Lepault & Alasdair W. McDowall

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  1. Marc Adrian
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  2. Jacques Dubochet
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  3. Jean Lepault
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  4. Alasdair W. McDowall
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Adrian, M., Dubochet, J., Lepault, J. et al. Cryo-electron microscopy of viruses. Nature 308, 32–36 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/308032a0

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