Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
95519980
United Kingdom
Citation
Journal: J Struct Biol / Year: 2025 Title: Untangling the effects of flexibility and the AWI in cryoEM sample preparation: A case study using KtrA. Authors: Isobel Jackson Hirst / Wesley Tien Chiang / Nien-Jen Hu / Charlotte A Scarff / Rebecca F Thompson / Michele C Darrow / Stephen P Muench / Abstract: Single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) is a powerful tool for elucidating the structures of biological macromolecules without requiring crystallisation or fixation. However, certain ...Single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) is a powerful tool for elucidating the structures of biological macromolecules without requiring crystallisation or fixation. However, certain barriers to obtaining high-resolution structures persist, particularly during grid preparation when samples are in a thin liquid film. At this stage, extensive exposure to the air-water interface (AWI) can lead to subunit dissociation, denaturation, and preferred orientation of particles. Another obstacle to high-resolution cryoEM is molecular flexibility, which introduces heterogeneity in the dataset, weakening the signal during image processing. This study explores the effects of AWI interactions and molecular flexibility on the cryoEM density maps of KtrA, the soluble regulatory subunit of the potassium transporter KtrAB from Bacillus subtilis. From grids prepared using a standard blotting technique, we observed a lack of density in the C-lobe domains and preferred orientation. Modifications such as reducing AWI exposure through faster vitrification times (6 s vs ≤100 ms) notably improved C-lobe density. Moreover, the addition of cyclic di-AMP, which binds to the C-lobes, combined with a 100 ms plunge time, further enhanced C-lobe density and eliminated preferred orientation. These findings demonstrate that both AWI interactions and flexibility had to be addressed to obtain density for the C-lobe domains of KtrA. This study underscores the ongoing complexities in achieving high-resolution cryoEM for many samples.
Entire : KtrA, the regulatory subunit from the KtrAB potassium transporter
Entire
Name: KtrA, the regulatory subunit from the KtrAB potassium transporter
Components
Complex: KtrA, the regulatory subunit from the KtrAB potassium transporter
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Supramolecule #1: KtrA, the regulatory subunit from the KtrAB potassium transporter
Supramolecule
Name: KtrA, the regulatory subunit from the KtrAB potassium transporter type: complex / ID: 1 / Parent: 0 Details: This is map is part of an investigation into the effects of sample preparation on map quality.
Source (natural)
Organism: Bascillus subtilis (bacteria)
Molecular weight
Theoretical: 198 KDa
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Experimental details
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Structure determination
Method
cryo EM
Processing
single particle reconstruction
Aggregation state
particle
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Sample preparation
Concentration
0.5 mg/mL
Buffer
pH: 8 Component:
Concentration
Formula
Name
150.0 mM
KCl
potassium chloride
50.0 mM
Tris
Details: 50 mM Tris-HCl, 150 mM KCl, 0.03 mM TCEP
Grid
Model: Quantifoil R1.2/1.3 / Material: COPPER / Mesh: 300 / Support film - Material: CARBON / Support film - topology: HOLEY / Support film - Film thickness: 10
Vitrification
Cryogen name: ETHANE / Chamber humidity: 100 % / Chamber temperature: 277 K / Instrument: FEI VITROBOT MARK IV / Details: 6 seconds blot time, blot force 6, no wait time.
Details
This sample was monodisperse
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Electron microscopy
Microscope
TFS KRIOS
Image recording
Film or detector model: FEI FALCON IV (4k x 4k) / Number grids imaged: 1 / Number real images: 4502 / Average exposure time: 4.45 sec. / Average electron dose: 34.8 e/Å2
Electron beam
Acceleration voltage: 300 kV / Electron source: FIELD EMISSION GUN
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