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Weber MS, Wojtynek M, Medalia O. Cellular and Structural Studies of Eukaryotic Cells by Cryo-Electron Tomography. Cells 2019; 8:E57. [PMID: 30654455 PMCID: PMC6356268 DOI: 10.3390/cells8010057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The architecture of protein assemblies and their remodeling during physiological processes is fundamental to cells. Therefore, providing high-resolution snapshots of macromolecular complexes in their native environment is of major importance for understanding the molecular biology of the cell. Cellular structural biology by means of cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) offers unique insights into cellular processes at an unprecedented resolution. Recent technological advances have enabled the detection of single impinging electrons and improved the contrast of electron microscopic imaging, thereby significantly increasing the sensitivity and resolution. Moreover, various sample preparation approaches have paved the way to observe every part of a eukaryotic cell, and even multicellular specimens, under the electron beam. Imaging of macromolecular machineries at high resolution directly within their native environment is thereby becoming reality. In this review, we discuss several sample preparation and labeling techniques that allow the visualization and identification of macromolecular assemblies in situ, and demonstrate how these methods have been used to study eukaryotic cellular landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Sarah Weber
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Matthias Wojtynek
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Ohad Medalia
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
- Department of Life Sciences and the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84120, Israel.
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Fan Y, Antonijević D, Zhong X, Komlev VS, Li Z, Đurić M, Fan Y. Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Erythrocytes Using the Novel Method For Corrective Realignment of the Transmission Electron Microscopy Cross-Section Images. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2018; 24:676-683. [PMID: 30588909 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927618015325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The detailed kinetics study of erythrocyte deformability is useful for the early diagnosis of blood diseases and for monitoring the blood rheology. Present solutions for a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of erythrocytes has a limited potential. This study aimed to use erythrocyte transmission electron images (ETIs) to evaluate the morphological relationship between adjacent ETIs and generate erythrocytes 3D model. First, ultrathin serial sections of skeletal muscle tissue were obtained using an ultramicrotome. Further, the set of ETIs in a capillary were captured by transmission electron microscopy. The images were aligned by translations and rotations using custom software to optimize the morphological relationship between adjacent ETIs. These coordinate transformations exploit the unique principal axis of inertia of each image to define the body coordinate system and hence provide the means to accurately reconnect the adjacent ETIs. The sum of the distances between the corresponding points on the boundary of adjacent ETIs was minimized and, further, was optimized by using physiological relationship between the adjacent ETIs. The analysis allowed to define precise virtual relationship between the adjacent erythrocytes. Finally, extracted erythrocytes' cross-section images allowed to generate 3D model of the erythrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhou Fan
- 1School of Physical Education and Sport Science,Fujian Normal University,350108 Fuzhou,China
| | - Djordje Antonijević
- 1School of Physical Education and Sport Science,Fujian Normal University,350108 Fuzhou,China
| | - Xing Zhong
- 5Medical Imaging Center,The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University,510632 Guangzhou,China
| | - Vladimir S Komlev
- 6A. A. Baikov Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science,119334 Moscow,Russia
| | - Zhiyu Li
- 7College of Foreign Studies,Jinan University,510632 Guangzhou,China
| | - Marija Đurić
- 3Laboratory for Anthropology,Institute for Anatomy,School of Medicine,University of Belgrade,11000 Belgrade,Serbia
| | - Yifang Fan
- 1School of Physical Education and Sport Science,Fujian Normal University,350108 Fuzhou,China
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3
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Navarro PP, Stahlberg H, Castaño-Díez D. Protocols for Subtomogram Averaging of Membrane Proteins in the Dynamo Software Package. Front Mol Biosci 2018; 5:82. [PMID: 30234127 PMCID: PMC6131572 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2018.00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryo-electron tomography allows low-resolution three-dimensional (3D) viewing of cellular organelles and macromolecular complexes present as multiple copies within a tomogram. These structures are computationally extracted and averaged in order to obtain high-resolution 3D structures, and provide a map of their spatial distribution and interaction with their biological microenvironment. To do so, we apply the user-friendly Dynamo software package on a tomographic data set. Dynamo acts as a modular toolbox adaptable to different biological scenarios, allowing a custom designed pipeline for subtomogram averaging. Here, we use as a textbook example the mitochondrial docking site of the positive-strand RNA Flock house nodavirus (FHV) to describe how Dynamo coordinates several basic steps in the subtomogram averaging workflow. Our framework covers specific strategies to deal with additional issues in subtomogram averaging as tomographic data management, 3D surface visualization, automatic assignment of asymmetry and inherent loss of Fourier information in presence of preferential views.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula P Navarro
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Henning Stahlberg
- Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Castaño-Díez
- BioEM Lab, Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Bharat TAM, Hoffmann PC, Kukulski W. Correlative Microscopy of Vitreous Sections Provides Insights into BAR-Domain Organization In Situ. Structure 2018; 26:879-886.e3. [PMID: 29681471 PMCID: PMC5992340 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2018.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Electron microscopy imaging of macromolecular complexes in their native cellular context is limited by the inherent difficulty to acquire high-resolution tomographic data from thick cells and to specifically identify elusive structures within crowded cellular environments. Here, we combined cryo-fluorescence microscopy with electron cryo-tomography of vitreous sections into a coherent correlative microscopy workflow, ideal for detection and structural analysis of elusive protein assemblies in situ. We used this workflow to address an open question on BAR-domain coating of yeast plasma membrane compartments known as eisosomes. BAR domains can sense or induce membrane curvature, and form scaffold-like membrane coats in vitro. Our results demonstrate that in cells, the BAR protein Pil1 localizes to eisosomes of varying membrane curvature. Sub-tomogram analysis revealed a dense protein coat on curved eisosomes, which was not present on shallow eisosomes, indicating that while BAR domains can assemble at shallow membranes in vivo, scaffold formation is tightly coupled to curvature generation. Cryo-fluorescence microscopy eases electron cryo-tomography of vitreous sections Elusive protein assemblies are localized in situ by correlative microscopy Yeast BAR-domain protein Pil1 binds to plasma membrane with varying curvature Scaffold-like coats are only seen when Pil1 is bound to high curvature membranes
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanmay A M Bharat
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK; Central Oxford Structural and Molecular Imaging Centre, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK; Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Patrick C Hoffmann
- Cell Biology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Wanda Kukulski
- Cell Biology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.
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5
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Belnap DM. Electron Microscopy and Image Processing: Essential Tools for Structural Analysis of Macromolecules. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 82:17.2.1-17.2.61. [PMID: 26521712 DOI: 10.1002/0471140864.ps1702s82] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Macromolecular electron microscopy typically depicts the structures of macromolecular complexes ranging from ∼200 kDa to hundreds of MDa. The amount of specimen required, a few micrograms, is typically 100 to 1000 times less than needed for X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Micrographs of frozen-hydrated (cryogenic) specimens portray native structures, but the original images are noisy. Computational averaging reduces noise, and three-dimensional reconstructions are calculated by combining different views of free-standing particles ("single-particle analysis"). Electron crystallography is used to characterize two-dimensional arrays of membrane proteins and very small three-dimensional crystals. Under favorable circumstances, near-atomic resolutions are achieved. For structures at somewhat lower resolution, pseudo-atomic models are obtained by fitting high-resolution components into the density. Time-resolved experiments describe dynamic processes. Electron tomography allows reconstruction of pleiomorphic complexes and subcellular structures and modeling of macromolecules in their cellular context. Significant information is also obtained from metal-coated and dehydrated specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Belnap
- Departments of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Lucocq JM, Mayhew TM, Schwab Y, Steyer AM, Hacker C. Systems biology in 3D space--enter the morphome. Trends Cell Biol 2014; 25:59-64. [PMID: 25455351 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2014.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2014] [Revised: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Systems-based understanding of living organisms depends on acquiring huge datasets from arrays of genes, transcripts, proteins, and lipids. These data, referred to as 'omes', are assembled using 'omics' methodologies. Currently a comprehensive, quantitative view of cellular and organellar systems in 3D space at nanoscale/molecular resolution is missing. We introduce here the term 'morphome' for the distribution of living matter within a 3D biological system, and 'morphomics' for methods of collecting 3D data systematically and quantitatively. A sampling-based approach termed stereology currently provides rapid, precise, and minimally biased morphomics. We propose that stereology solves the 'big data' problem posed by emerging wide-scale electron microscopy (EM) and can establish quantitative links between the newer nanoimaging platforms such as electron tomography, cryo-EM, and correlative microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Lucocq
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TF, UK.
| | - Terry M Mayhew
- School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Yannick Schwab
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna M Steyer
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Hacker
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TF, UK
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Baum MM, Gunawardana M, Webster P. Experimental approaches to investigating the vaginal biofilm microbiome. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1147:85-103. [PMID: 24664828 PMCID: PMC8801157 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0467-9_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Unraveling the complex ecology of the vaginal biofilm microbiome relies on a number of complementary techniques. Here, we describe the experimental approaches for studying vaginal microbial biofilm samples with a focus on specimen preparation for subsequent analysis. The techniques include fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Isolation of microbial DNA and RNA from these samples is covered along with a brief discussion of chemical analysis methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc M Baum
- Department of Chemistry, Oak Crest Institute of Science, 2275 E Foothill Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91107, USA,
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