Cheng Anchi, Leung Albert, Fellmann Denis, Quispe Joel, Suloway Christian, Pulokas James, Abeyrathne Priyanka D, Lam Joseph S, Carragher Bridget, Potter Clinton S
The National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy, Department of Cell Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, CB-129, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
J Struct Biol. 2007 Dec;160(3):324-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jsb.2007.09.012. Epub 2007 Sep 25.
Screening trials to determine the presence of two-dimensional (2D) protein crystals suitable for three-dimensional structure determination using electron crystallography is a very labor-intensive process. Methods compatible with fully automated screening have been developed for the process of crystal production by dialysis and for producing negatively stained grids of the resulting trials. Further automation via robotic handling of the EM grids, and semi-automated transmission electron microscopic imaging and evaluation of the trial grids is also possible. We, and others, have developed working prototypes for several of these tools and tested and evaluated them in a simple screen of 24 crystallization conditions. While further development of these tools is certainly required for a turn-key system, the goal of fully automated screening appears to be within reach.
通过电子晶体学确定适合三维结构测定的二维(2D)蛋白质晶体是否存在的筛选试验是一个非常耗费人力的过程。已经开发出了与全自动筛选兼容的方法,用于透析晶体生产过程以及对所得试验产物制作负染色网格。通过机器人操作电子显微镜网格、半自动透射电子显微镜成像以及对试验网格进行评估,还可以实现进一步的自动化。我们和其他一些人已经为其中几种工具开发了工作原型,并在24种结晶条件的简单筛选中对它们进行了测试和评估。虽然对于一个交钥匙系统而言,这些工具肯定还需要进一步开发,但全自动筛选的目标似乎指日可待。