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Structure and Physics of Viruses pp 79–115Cite as

Conventional Electron Microscopy, Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Cryo-Electron Tomography of Viruses

Part of the Subcellular Biochemistry book series (SCBI,volume 68)

Abstract

Electron microscopy (EM) techniques have been crucial for understanding the structure of biological specimens such as cells, tissues and macromolecular assemblies. Viruses and related viral assemblies are ideal targets for structural studies that help to define essential biological functions. Whereas conventional EM methods use chemical fixation, dehydration, and staining of the specimens, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) preserves the native hydrated state. Combined with image processing and three-dimensional reconstruction techniques, cryo-EM provides 3D maps of these macromolecular complexes from projection images, at subnanometer to near-atomic resolutions. Cryo-EM is also a major technique in structural biology for dynamic studies of functional complexes, which are often unstable, flexible, scarce or transient in their native environments. As a tool, cryo-EM complements high-resolution techniques such as X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopy; these synergistic hybrid approaches provide important new information. Three-dimensional cryo-electron tomography goes further, and allows the study of viruses not only in their physiological state, but also in their natural environment in the cell, thereby bridging structural studies at the molecular and cellular levels.

Keywords

  • Capsid
  • Cryo-electron microscopy
  • Cryo-electron tomography
  • Electron microscopy
  • Fourier transform
  • Image processing
  • Resolution
  • Three-dimensional reconstruction
  • Viral macromolecular assembly
  • Virus

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  • DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-6552-8_3
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Abbreviations

2D:

Two-dimensional, two dimensions

3D:

Three-dimensional, three dimensions

3DR:

Three-dimensional reconstruction

CCD:

Charge-coupled device

cryo-EM:

Cryo-electron microscopy

cryo-ET:

Cryo-electron tomography

CTF:

Contrast transfer function

EM:

Electron microscopy, electron microscope

FEG:

Field emission gun

FSC:

Fourier shell correlation

FT:

Fourier transform

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

SSE:

Secondary structure element

TEM:

Transmission electron microscopy

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Acknowledgements

I thank Daniel Luque for stimulating discussions, José L. Carrascosa and José M. Valpuesta for continuous support, comments and careful reading of the manuscript, Alasdair C. Steven and Benes L. Trus for advice and encouragement and Catherine Mark for editorial help. I am indebted to current and former members of my group (Irene Saugar, Daniel Luque, Nerea Irigoyen, Elena Pascual, Josué Gómez-Blanco, Mariana Castrillo, Ana Correia and Carlos Pérez) and other colleagues for their hard work, skills and enthusiasm that made work possible and enjoyable. This work was supported by grant BFU2011-25902 from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

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  1. Department of Macromolecular Structure, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CSIC), c/Darwin 3, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    José R. Castón

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Correspondence to José R. Castón .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC_UAM), And Dept. of Molecular Biology, Centro de Biología Molecular, Cantoblanco, Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Mauricio G. Mateu

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Castón, J.R. (2013). Conventional Electron Microscopy, Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Cryo-Electron Tomography of Viruses. In: Mateu, M. (eds) Structure and Physics of Viruses. Subcellular Biochemistry, vol 68. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6552-8_3

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