DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1314449110. Avoiding the pitfalls of single particle cryo-electron microscopy: Einstein from noise

Avoiding the pitfalls of single particle cryo-electron microscopy: Einstein from noise

10.1073/pnas.1314449110

Crossref journal-article

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (341)

Abstract

Single particle cryo-electron microscopy is currently poised to produce high-resolution structures of many biological assemblies, but several pitfalls can trap the unwary. This critique highlights one problem that is particularly relevant when smaller structures are being studied. It is known as “Einstein from noise,” in which the experimenter honestly believes they have recorded images of their particles, whereas in reality, most if not all of their data consist of pure noise. Selection of particles using cross-correlation methods can then lead to 3D maps that resemble the model used in the initial selection and provide the illusion of progress. Suggestions are given about how to circumvent the problem.

Bibliography

Henderson, R. (2013). Avoiding the pitfalls of single particle cryo-electron microscopy: Einstein from noise. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(45), 18037â18041.

Authors 1

Richard Henderson (first)

References 32 Referenced 196

Dates

Type	When
Created	11 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 9, 2013, 1:43 a.m.)
Deposited	3 years, 4 months ago (April 12, 2022, 11:14 p.m.)
Indexed	3 weeks, 5 days ago (July 30, 2025, 9:57 a.m.)
Issued	11 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 8, 2013)
Published	11 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 8, 2013)
Published Online	11 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 8, 2013)
Published Print	11 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 5, 2013)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Henderson_2013, title={Avoiding the pitfalls of single particle cryo-electron microscopy: Einstein from noise}, volume={110}, ISSN={1091-6490}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1314449110}, DOI={10.1073/pnas.1314449110}, number={45}, journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, publisher={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, author={Henderson, Richard}, year={2013}, month=oct, pages={18037–18041} }

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