Subnanometer-resolution structure determination in situ by hybrid subtomogram averaging - single particle cryo-EM

Nat Commun. 2020 Jul 24;11(1):3709. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-17466-0.

Abstract

Cryo-electron tomography combined with subtomogram averaging (StA) has yielded high-resolution structures of macromolecules in their native context. However, high-resolution StA is not commonplace due to beam-induced sample drift, images with poor signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), challenges in CTF correction, and limited particle number. Here we address these issues by collecting tilt series with a higher electron dose at the zero-degree tilt. Particles of interest are then located within reconstructed tomograms, processed by conventional StA, and then re-extracted from the high-dose images in 2D. Single particle analysis tools are then applied to refine the 2D particle alignment and generate a reconstruction. Use of our hybrid StA (hStA) workflow improved the resolution for tobacco mosaic virus from 7.2 to 4.4 Å and for the ion channel RyR1 in crowded native membranes from 12.9 to 9.1 Å. These resolution gains make hStA a promising approach for other StA projects aimed at achieving subnanometer resolution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Calcium Channels / chemistry*
  • Cryoelectron Microscopy / methods*
  • Electron Microscope Tomography / methods
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / chemistry
  • Signal-To-Noise Ratio
  • Single Molecule Imaging
  • Workflow

Substances

  • Calcium Channels
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel