Desktop instrument provides high resolution direct observation of protein preparations in native state, particularly useful for membrane protein preparations
Delong Instruments's electron microscope, the desktop LVEM5, addresses challenges in protein structure determination by providing direct observation of pre-crystallisation preparations. The results are high quality, high resolution images of the proteins in an unstained native state, allowing a critical quality inspection of the preparation homogeneity, aggregation state and purity.
The technique is particularly advantageous for membrane protein preparations where detergent micelles obstruct other quantitative analyses of preparation conditions.
The LVEM5 is a state of the art electron microscope with four imaging modes (TEM, SEM, Stem and ED) in a radically reduced desktop design. The high ease of operations and similarly simple installation requirements challenge traditional perceptions of the electron microscope.
A significant reduction in the electron beam accelerating voltage (5kV) allows very high contrast images to be achieved without using stains.
The LVEM5 will be displayed at the annual national meeting of the American Crystallographic Association in Chicago, 17-22 July 2004, and at the Microscopy and Microanalysis 2004 meeting in Savannah, 1-5 August 2004.
