UCLA Team Advances Cryo-Electron Microscopy Technology

Scientists at UCLA have developed a solution to improve cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) by enabling high-quality imaging of smaller protein molecules. They engineered a cube-shaped protein structure called a scaffold with tripod-like protrusions that hold the small proteins in place. The scaffold can be digitally removed during image processing, resulting in a composite 3D image of the small protein being analyzed. This advancement expands cryo-EM's imaging capabilities and has potential applications in drug development, allowing researchers to identify specific locations on proteins for therapeutic targeting. The technique was successfully tested on a protein involved in cancer treatments.