Cryoelectron tomography articles from across Nature Portfolio

The early stages of viral fusogen conformational change required for enveloped viruses to infect cells is unclear. Here, authors capture the herpesvirus fusogen, glycoprotein B, in early transitional states by cryo-EM.

Coronavirus RNA replication is governed by membrane vesicles containing pores. The authors used in situ cryo-electron tomography to reveal the minimal constituents of a SARS-CoV-2 “replicopore” and its role in the formation of replication vesicles.

HIV-1 Env trimers bound to one, two and three CD4 molecules are observed at membrane–membrane interfaces between HIV-1 and CD4-decorated virus-like particles.

The soluble neurotrophic factor GDNF promotes trans-synaptic adhesion through its co-receptor GFRα1. Here, the authors describe the structural basis for GDNF-GFRα1 adhesion and reconstitute assemblies bridging membranes, demonstrating that binding of either the RET receptor or proteoglycans can disrupt this adhesive function.

The authors characterized puncta in the ASC complex by correlative light microscopy and cryo-ET in cells and propose an ultrastructure of the ASC filament network.

To capture expansive, seamless fields of view from frozen hydrated specimens by cryo-electron tomography, we developed methods for the collection and processing of montage data. This approach enables rapid acquisition of contiguous regions of specimens using a montaged tilt series collection scheme.

Sperm flagella of highly divergent eukaryotic species share an architectural plan. Despite their ostensible ultrastructural similarities, mammalian sperm flagella beat with an asymmetric waveform, in contrast to the symmetrical beats of other eukaryotic flagella. Structural findings elucidate the molecular basis for this evolutionary divergence.

A deep learning approach called DeepPiCt facilitates segmentation and macromolecular identification in the cellular jungle of electron cryotomography data.