Since 2016, the Electron Microscopy (EM) facility provides advanced expertise in electron cryomicroscopy, from sample preparation to image analysis, with a focus on single particle analysis.

The equipment is maintained and managed by the facility staff, who also provide training and assistance for anyone wishing to use any of the equipment listed below.
Cryo-EM facilities are available for internal users and on a collaborative basis. Please get in touch with Sarah Schneider to discuss possible access.

Tecnai G2 Spirit BT (T12)

120 kV accelerating voltage, LaB6 source. 16M CETA camera, used mainly for negative staining samples, but also capable of cryo-EM using side entry cryo-holders.

Glacios

200 kV accelerating voltage, field emission gun (X-FEG) source. This microscope is equipped with an autoloader, Falcon 4i direct electron detector and SelectrisX energy filter. The setup is connected to WARP on-the-fly data processing node. This microscope is used for cryo-EM sample optimisation and data collection.

Supporting equipment:

Fischione 1070 PLasma Cleaner

Vitrobot Mark IV

PELCO EasiGlow glow discharger

Edwards carbon evaporator

• Kouba T, Dubankova A, Drncova P, Donati E, Vidossich P, Speranzini V, Pflug A, Huchting J, Meier C, De Vivo M, Cusack S (2023)
  Direct observation of backtracking by influenza A and B polymerases upon consecutive incorporation of the nucleoside analog T1106.
  Cell reports 42(1):111901.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111901
• Dolce LG, Zimmer AA, Tengo L, Weis F, Rubio MAT, Alfonzo JD, Kowalinski E (2022).
  Structural basis for sequence-independent substrate selection by eukaryotic wobble base tRNA deaminase ADAT2/3.
  Nat Commun. 13(1):6737.
  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34441-z

• Tholen J, Razew M, Weis F, Galej WP (2022).
  Structural basis of the branch site recognition by the human spliceosome. 
  Science 375:50-57.
  https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abm4245
• Adams M, Sharma R, Colby T, Weis F, Matic I, Bhogaraju S. (2021).
  Structural basis for protein glutamylation by the Legionella pseudokinase SidJ.
  Nat Commun. 12(1):6174.
  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26429-y

• Pfleiderer MM, Galej WP (2021).
  Structure of the catalytic core of the Integrator complex. 
  Molecular cell 81 (6), 1246-1259.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2021.01.005

• Wandzik J, Kouba T, Karuppasamy M, Pflug A, Drncova P, Provaznik J, Azevedo N, Cusack S (2020).
  A Structure-Based Model for the Complete Transcription Cycle of Influenza Polymerase.
  Cell 181(4):877-893.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.03.061

EMBL Grenoble also participates, together with the other Partnership for Structural Biology (PSB) institutes, in running the CM01 Titan Krios cryo-electron microscope at the ESRF for external users.

For more information regarding access, you can visit the ESRF page or contact EMBL staff scientist Michael Hons.