GSTT SEMINAR: Dr Alan Roseman, University of Manchester - Title: 'Single particle cryo EM analysis of protein complexes and conformation changes, using novel computational image analysis techniques'

12:00pm - 1:00pm / Monday 5th October 2015
Type: Seminar / Category: Department
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Abstract: Over the last couple of years the capability of higH resolution molecular structure analysis using cryoEM has dramatically improved. A recent News Feature article in Nature sums it up with a concise potted history. “The revolution will not be crystallized: a new method sweeps through structural biology” by Ewen Callaway, Nature 525, 172–174 (10 September 2015) doi:10.1038/525172a. Three developments in technologies have come together to realize the potential of the technique so far: Improved microscopes, direct electron detectors, and more advanced statistically based image processing programs (and the computing power to run them). The spate of atomic structures recently published is impressive. The main limitation now is how ordered the specimen is. In my recent work I have been focusing on methods to improve the detail and resolution obtainable with some more challenging specimens. These are proteins that assemble in flexible fibres, so are not strictly single particles. They have a repeating structure motif, but because these are formed from overlapping molecules, the repeat unit cannot be isolated as an individual molecular assembly. Since they are not particulate, and do not have a helical symmetry, they cannot be solved using the conventional approaches. I will give a brief introduction to cryoEM, and then describe the examples I am working on.


Dr Alan Roseman is the academic director of Electron Microscopy Core Facility at the University of Manchester. If you would like to meet him, please contact Dr. Luning Liu.