Cryo-Electron Tomography Sample Data

Cryo-electron tomography sample data analysis

Cryo-tomography has been used to obtain ultra-structures of organelles and to visualize entire viruses, organisms, large protein complexes, and membrane proteins. Below images show the diversity and level of details that cryo-ET has helped reveal and visualize.

Cell organelles and macrostructures

Excitatory synapse of hippocampal neuron

Post-synaptic structure-like PSD filaments and glutamate receptors are clearly depicted as well as pre-synaptic structures such as vesicles or adhesion proteins.  Courtesy of Guoqiang Bi oand Hong Zhou of UCLA.

Data segmentation and visualization by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.

3D visualization of a neuron excitatory synapse obtained with cryo electron tomography
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Golgi apparatus

3D visualization of a Golgi apparatus from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii reconstructed using cryo-ET. The unicellular alga was flash-frozen without any artificial stains or fixatives. Data courtesy of Benjamin Engel, Biozentrum, University of Basel.
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Salmonella cell interface analysis

Cryo-electron tomography visualization of the secretion mediated Salmonella-host cell interface, showing a plausible pathway of effector translocation. Courtesy of D. Park and J. Liu, Yale University. Data segmentation, visualization and animation done by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.
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Nuclear periphery visualization

Visualization of the nuclear periphery of a HeLa cell revealed by cryo-electron tomography. Courtesy of Julia Mahamid, EMBL. Data segmentation, visualization and animation done by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.

Neuronal aggregates

In neurons, ALS/FTD poly-Gly-Ala peptides aggregate into a dense network of twisted ribbons. The ribbons sequester a large fraction of the cells’ proteasomes. Courtesy of Q. Guo, Max Planck Institute - Martensreid.

Data segmentation and visualization by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.

Neuronal aggregates visualized with cryo electron tomography.

Chlamydomonas cell

In situ tomogram of Chlamydomonas cell. Data courtesy of S. Khavnekar, W. Wietrzynski, P. S. Erdmann, MPI-Martinsried.

Data segmentation and visualization by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.

Chlamydomonas cell visualized using cryo electron tomography

Murine neuronal cell

Reconstructed tomogram of a synapse in a murine neuronal cell prepared by xenon plasma-ion milling and cryo-FIB tomography. Sample courtesy of MRC-LMB.

Data segmentation and visualization by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.

Cryo electron tomography of a synapse in a murine neuronal cell

Endoplasmic reticulum

Cryo-electron tomography reveals a phase-separated protein degradation microcompartment where proteasomes (red) cluster at the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Data courtesy of Benjamin Engel, Biozentrum, University of Basel.

Data segmentation and visualization by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.

Endoplasmic reticulum visualized by cryo electron tomography
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3D volume rendering SARS-CoV-2 virion budding and assembly at the ERGIC membrane

SARS-CoV-2 virion budding and assembly at the ERGIC membrane. A 3D volume rendering is shown for each area with cellular and viral membranes in green and magenta respectively, viral spike proteins in yellow, and viral ribonucleoproteins in cyan. Data segmentation, visualization and animation done by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.

Virus research using cryo-electron tomography

HIV capsid

Insights into HIV in unprecedented resolution: The green and red CA protein structures form the conical protective envelope of the virus genome. Courtesy of Simone Mattei, EMBL.

Data segmentation and visualization by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.

HIV capsid visualized by cryo electron tomography.

Poliovirus replication

Tomogram 3D visualization of a poliovirus-infected HeLa cell. Empty capsids: pink, RNA-filled capsids: red, protein complexes tethering capsids to membrane: yellow, intraluminal densities: orange, and dense granules co-packaged with virions: blue. Image courtesy of Selma Dahmane, Umeå University.

Data segmentation and visualization by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.

Cryo electron tomography of a poliovirus infected HeLa cell.

SARS-CoV-2 Virus

Molecular architecture of the SARS-CoV-2 virus imaged by cryo-electron tomography. Courtesy of Sai Li, Tsinghua University.

Data segmentation and visualization by Thermo Scientific Amira Software.

SARS-COV-2 virus images by cryo electron tomography

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

1x1 image pixel for data collection