KENBIKYO Vol.50▶No.3 2015
â– Reviews

Single Particle Analysis of Biological Macromolecules and Its Recent Advances

Kaoru Mitsuoka

Abstract: Single particle analysis can provide three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules calculated from particle images taken by electron microscopy. Recently the achievable resolution by this technique has improved, and now atomic models have been obtained by this method. Here we introduce the technical improvements for the high resolution, such as electron direct detector, automated data acquisition, and software for image analysis. In these technical improvements, electron direct detector is the most important factor, but also advances of movie correction technique, automation of cryo-electron microscopy, and single particle analysis program that employs an empirical Bayesian approach, have enabled the structural analysis near atomic resolution. Details of the single particle analysis will be explained including our results, and sample preparation techniques are also introduced. This review could develop a better understanding and generate interest of this technique.

Key words: single particle analysis, cryo-electron microscopy, biological macromolecules, image analysis