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The complex architecture of their structural elements and compartments is a hallmark of eukaryotic cells. The creation of high resolution models of whole cells has been limited by the relatively low resolution of conventional light microscopes and the requirement for ultrathin sections in transmission electron microscopy. We used soft x-ray tomography to study the 3D ultrastructural organization of whole cells of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii at unprecedented spatial resolution. Intact frozen hydrated cells were imaged using the natural x-ray absorption contrast of the sample without any staining. We applied different fiducial-based and fiducial-less alignment procedures for the 3D reconstructions. The reconstructed 3D volumes of the cells show features down to 30 nm in size. The whole cell tomograms reveal ultrastructural details such as nuclear envelope membranes, thylakoids, basal apparatus, and flagellar microtubule doublets. In addition, the x-ray tomograms provide quantitative data from the cell architecture. Therefore, nanoscale soft x-ray tomography is a new valuable tool for numerous qualitative and quantitative applications in plant cell biology.
Cryo-electron tomography provides a snapshot of the cellular proteome. With template matching, the spatial positions of various macromolecular complexes within their native cellular context can be detected. However, the growing awareness of the reference bias introduced by the cross-correlation based approaches, and more importantly the lack of a reliable confidence measurement in the selection of these macromolecular complexes, has restricted the use of these applications. Here we propose a heuristic, in which the reference bias is measured in real space in an analogous way to the R-free value in X-ray crystallography. We measure the reference bias within the mask used to outline the area of the template, and do not modify the template itself. The heuristic works by splitting the mask into a working and a testing area in a volume ratio of 9:1. While the working area is used during the calculation of the cross-correlation function, the information from both areas is explored to calculate the M-free score. We show using artificial data, that the M-free score gives a reliable measure for the reference bias. The heuristic can be applied in template matching and in sub-tomogram averaging. We further test the applicability of the heuristic in tomograms of purified macromolecules, and tomograms of whole Mycoplasma cells.
Correlative microscopy incorporates the specificity of fluorescent protein labeling into high-resolution electron micrographs. Several approaches exist for correlative microscopy, most of which have used the green fluorescent protein (GFP) as the label for light microscopy. Here we use chemical tagging and synthetic fluorophores instead, in order to achieve protein-specific labeling, and to perform multicolor imaging. We show that synthetic fluorophores preserve their post-embedding fluorescence in the presence of uranyl acetate. Post-embedding fluorescence is of such quality that the specimen can be prepared with identical protocols for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM); this is particularly valuable when singular or otherwise difficult samples are examined. We show that synthetic fluorophores give bright, well-resolved signals in super-resolution light microscopy, enabling us to superimpose light microscopic images with a precision of up to 25 nm in the x-y plane on electron micrographs. To exemplify the preservation quality of our new method we visualize the molecular arrangement of cadherins in adherens junctions of mouse epithelial cells.
Vertebrate life depends on renal function to filter excess fluid and remove low-molecular-weight waste products. An essential component of the kidney filtration barrier is the slit diaphragm (SD), a specialized cell-cell junction between podocytes. Although the constituents of the SD are largely known, its molecular organization remains elusive. Here, we use super-resolution correlative light and electron microscopy to quantify a linear rate of reduction in albumin concentration across the filtration barrier. Next, we use cryo-electron tomography of vitreous lamellae from high-pressure frozen native glomeruli to analyze the molecular architecture of the SD. The resulting densities resemble a fishnet pattern. Fitting of Nephrin and Neph1, the main constituents of the SD, results in a complex interaction pattern with multiple contact sites between the molecules. Using molecular dynamics flexible fitting, we construct a blueprint of the SD, where we describe all interactions. Our architectural understanding of the SD reconciles previous findings and provides a mechanistic framework for the development of novel therapies to treat kidney dysfunction.
Vertebrate life depends on renal function to filter excess fluid and remove low-molecular-weight waste products. An essential component of the kidney filtration barrier is the slit diaphragm (SD), a specialized cell-cell junction between podocytes. Although the constituents of the SD are largely known, its molecular organization remains elusive. Here, we use super-resolution correlative light and electron microscopy to quantify a linear rate of reduction in albumin concentration across the filtration barrier under no-flow conditions. Next, we use cryo-electron tomography of vitreous lamellae from high-pressure frozen native glomeruli to analyze the molecular architecture of the SD. The resulting densities resemble a fishnet pattern. Fitting of Nephrin and Neph1, the main constituents of the SD, results in a complex interaction pattern with multiple contact sites between the molecules. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we construct a blueprint of the SD that explains its molecular architecture. Our architectural understanding of the SD reconciles previous findings and provides a mechanistic framework for the development of novel therapies to treat kidney dysfunction.
A widespread application of 3D bioprinting in basic and translational research requires accessibility to affordable printers able to produce physiologically relevant tissue models. To facilitate the use of bioprinting as a standard technique in biology, an open-source device based on a consumer-grade 3D stereolithography apparatus (SLA) printer is developed. This SLA bioprinter can produce complex constructs that preserve cell viability and recapitulate the physiology of tissues. The detailed documentation of the modifications apported to the printer as well as a throughout performance analysis allow for a straightforward adoption of the device in other labs and its customization for specific applications. Given the low cost, several modified bioprinters could be simultaneously operated for a parallelized tissue production. To showcase the capability of the bioprinter, constructs consisting of patient-derived cholangiocarcinoma organoids encapsulated in a gelatin methacrylate (GelMA)/polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel are produced. A thorough characterization of different GelMA/PEGDA ratios reveals that the mechanical properties of the bioprinted tumor model can be accurately fine-tuned to mimic a specific tumor micro-environment. Immunofluorescence and gene expression analyses of tumor markers confirm that the bioprinted synthetic hydrogel provides a flexible and adequate replacement of animal-derived reconstituted extracellular matrix.
Lipid acquisition and transport are fundamental processes in all organisms, but many of the key players remain unidentified. In this study, we investigate the lipid-cycling mechanism of the minimal model organism Mycoplasma pneumoniae. We show that the essential protein P116 can extract lipids from the environment but also self- sufficiently deposit them into both eukaryotic cell membranes and liposomes. Our structures and molecular dynamics simulation reveal the mechanism by which the N- terminal region of P116, which resembles an SMP domain, perturbs the membrane, while a hydrophobic pocket exploits the chemical gradient to collect the lipids. Filling of P116 with cargo leads to a conformational change that modulates membrane affinity without consumption of ATP. We show that the Mycoplasmas have one integrated lipid acquisition and delivery machinery that shortcuts the complex multi-protein pathways used by higher developed organisms.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a frequent neurodegenerative process in old age. Accumulation and aggregation of the lipid-binding SNARE complex component α-synuclein (SNCA) underlies this vulnerability and defines stages of disease progression. Determinants of SNCA levels and mechanisms of SNCA neurotoxicity have been intensely investigated. In view of the physiological roles of SNCA in blood to modulate vesicle release, we studied blood samples from a new large pedigree with SNCA gene duplication (PARK4 mutation) to identify effects of SNCA gain of function as potential disease biomarkers. Downregulation of complexin 1 (CPLX1) mRNA was correlated with genotype, but the expression of other Parkinson's disease genes was not. In global RNA-seq profiling of blood from presymptomatic PARK4 indviduals, bioinformatics detected significant upregulations for platelet activation, hemostasis, lipoproteins, endocytosis, lysosome, cytokine, Toll-like receptor signaling and extracellular pathways. In PARK4 platelets, stimulus-triggered degranulation was impaired. Strong SPP1, GZMH and PLTP mRNA upregulations were validated in PARK4. When analysing individuals with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, the most specific known prodromal stage of general PD, only blood CPLX1 levels were altered. Validation experiments confirmed an inverse mutual regulation of SNCA and CPLX1 mRNA levels. In the 3′-UTR of the CPLX1 gene we identified a single nucleotide polymorphism that is significantly associated with PD risk. In summary, our data define CPLX1 as a PD risk factor and provide functional insights into the role and regulation of blood SNCA levels. The new blood biomarkers of PARK4 in this Turkish family might become useful for PD prediction.
Upon antibiotic stress Gram-negative pathogens deploy resistance-nodulation-cell division-type tripartite efflux pumps. These include a H+/drug antiporter module that recognizes structurally diverse substances, including antibiotics. Here, we show the 3.5 Å structure of subunit AdeB from the Acinetobacter baumannii AdeABC efflux pump solved by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy. The AdeB trimer adopts mainly a resting state with all protomers in a conformation devoid of transport channels or antibiotic binding sites. However, 10% of the protomers adopt a state where three transport channels lead to the closed substrate (deep) binding pocket. A comparison between drug binding of AdeB and Escherichia coli AcrB is made via activity analysis of 20 AdeB variants, selected on basis of side chain interactions with antibiotics observed in the AcrB periplasmic domain X-ray co-structures with fusidic acid (2.3 Å), doxycycline (2.1 Å) and levofloxacin (2.7 Å). AdeABC, compared to AcrAB-TolC, confers higher resistance to E. coli towards polyaromatic compounds and lower resistance towards antibiotic compounds.
Cryo-electron tomography is the only technique that can provide sub-nanometer resolved images of cell regions or even whole cells, without the need of labeling or staining methods. Technological advances over the past decade in electron microscope stability, cameras, stage precision and software have resulted in faster acquisition speeds and considerably improved resolution. In pursuit of even better image resolution, researchers seek to reduce noise – a crucial factor affecting the reliability of the tomogram interpretation and ultimately limiting the achieved resolution. Sub-tomogram averaging is the method of choice for reducing noise in repetitive objects. However, when averaging is not applicable, a trade-off between reducing noise and conserving genuine image details must be achieved. Thus, denoising is an important process that improves the interpretability of the tomogram not only directly but also by facilitating other downstream tasks, such as segmentation and 3D visualization. Here, I review contemporary denoising techniques for cryo-electron tomography by taking into account noise-specific properties of both reconstruction and detector noise. The outcomes of different techniques are compared, in order to help researchers select the most appropriate for each dataset and to achieve better and more reliable interpretation of the tomograms.
