Cryo-EM Solution-to-Structure Pipeline: Democratizing Access to Cryo-EM Research

What is it about?

The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) has implemented the Solution-to-Structure (SOS) pipeline to make cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) more accessible to laboratories and universities with limited or no infrastructure. The SOS pipeline covers grid preparation to high-resolution data collection for single-particle analysis and cryo-electron tomography. Accessible through a rolling access route, proposals undergo scientific merit and technical feasibility evaluations. The SOS pipeline integrates negative stain imaging as a first quality step, followed by cryo-EM grid preparation, grid screening, and preliminary data collection for single-particle analysis or only the first two steps for cryo-ET. The SOS pipeline thus emerges as a comprehensive and efficient solution, further democratizing access to cryo-EM research.

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Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The implementation of the cryo-EM Solution-to-Structure (SOS) pipeline by the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) and the Grenoble Institute for Structural Biology (IBS) is important because it democratizes access to cryo-EM research by offering a comprehensive and efficient solution for laboratories and universities with limited or no cryo-EM infrastructure. This enables a wider range of researchers to conduct high-resolution three-dimensional structure determination of biological macromolecules, which is crucial for advancing our understanding of biological systems and developing new therapies. Key Takeaways: 1. The SOS pipeline offers a comprehensive solution for laboratories and universities with limited or no cryo-EM infrastructure. 2. The pipeline covers single-particle analysis and cryo-electron tomography and is accessible through a rolling access route. 3. Users can either submit purified protein samples for comprehensive processing or initiate the pipeline with already vitrified cryo-EM grids. 4. The SOS pipeline integrates negative stain imaging as a first quality step, followed by cryo-EM grid preparation, grid screening, and preliminary data collection for single-particle analysis or only the first two steps for cryo-ET. 5. The SOS pipeline has already been used successfully by researchers from member countries such as Italy, India, and Portugal to achieve high-resolution structures, starting from liquid protein samples. 6. The pipeline's goal is to make cryo-EM research more accessible to a broader user community and to streamline procedures through the integration of a fully automated image processing pipeline.