Abstract
Electron cryo-microscopy analyzes the structure of proteins and protein complexes in vitrified solution. Proteins tend to adsorb to the air-water interface in unsupported films of aqueous solution, which can result in partial or complete denaturation. We investigated the structure of yeast fatty acid synthase at the air-water interface by electron cryo-tomography and single-particle image processing. Around 90% of complexes adsorbed to the air-water interface are partly denatured. We show that the unfolded regions face the air-water interface. Denaturation by contact with air may happen at any stage of specimen preparation. Denaturation at the air-water interface is completely avoided when the complex is plunge-frozen on a substrate of hydrophilized graphene.
Authors
6
- Edoardo D'Imprima (first)
- Davide Floris (additional)
- Mirko Joppe (additional)
- Ricardo Sánchez (additional)
- Martin Grininger (additional)
- Werner Kühlbrandt (additional)
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Dates
Type | When |
---|---|
Created | 6 years, 5 months ago (April 1, 2019, 7 a.m.) |
Deposited | 1 year, 10 months ago (Oct. 11, 2023, 8:52 p.m.) |
Indexed | 45 minutes ago (Sept. 2, 2025, 8:01 p.m.) |
Issued | 6 years, 5 months ago (April 1, 2019) |
Published | 6 years, 5 months ago (April 1, 2019) |
Published Online | 6 years, 5 months ago (April 1, 2019) |
Funders
6
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
10.13039/501100004189
Region: Europe
gov (Research institutes and centers)
Labels
4
- Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science
- Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften
- Max Planck Society
- MPG
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
10.13039/501100004189
Region: Europe
gov (Research institutes and centers)
Labels
4
- Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science
- Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften
- Max Planck Society
- MPG
Volkswagen Foundation
10.13039/501100001663
Region: Europe
pri (Trusts, charities, foundations (both public and private))
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1
- VolkswagenStiftung
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
10.13039/100005156
Alexander von Humboldt-StiftungRegion: Europe
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5
- Humboldt-Stiftung
- Humboldt Foundation
- Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
- Humboldt Stiftung
- AvH
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- Sofja Kovalevskaja Award to Mikhail Kudryashev
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
10.13039/501100001659
Region: Europe
gov (National government)
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3
- German Research Association
- German Research Foundation
- DFG
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- SFB807
Volkswagen Foundation
10.13039/501100001663
Region: Europe
pri (Trusts, charities, foundations (both public and private))
Labels
1
- VolkswagenStiftung
Awards
1
- 85701
@article{D_Imprima_2019, title={Protein denaturation at the air-water interface and how to prevent it}, volume={8}, ISSN={2050-084X}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.42747}, DOI={10.7554/elife.42747}, journal={eLife}, publisher={eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd}, author={D’Imprima, Edoardo and Floris, Davide and Joppe, Mirko and Sánchez, Ricardo and Grininger, Martin and Kühlbrandt, Werner}, year={2019}, month=apr }