Application of biomolecular imaging techniques to win the Nobel Prize

New molecular biology techniques bring many breakthroughs in scientific research.

The frozen electronic experimental microscope technique of three scientists Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for a very high application, according to the Guardian.

This technique allows scientists to study biological molecules with a high resolution, including studies of Zika virus and Alzheimer's-related proteins. Biomolecular imaging at atomic resolution levels not only helps scientists understand their structure, but also helps discover biological cycles by taking photos at different times.

Scientist Richard Henderson (left), Joachim Frank (middle), Jacques Dubochet (right).(Photo: Indian Express).

Information collected from frozen electronic experimental microscopes also helps scientists develop medicines."This technique is used to visualize how antibodies prevent dangerous viruses, bring new ideas to make drugs," said Daniel Davis, a professor of immunology at the University of Manchester.

New techniques overcome many previous limitations in scientific research. The microscope allows people to observe structures that cannot be seen with the naked eye. However, with very small structures, the use of light rays becomes meaningless because their wavelength length is not short enough.

Instead, scientists can use electron beams with transmission electron microscopy techniques (TEM) or X-ray crystallography methods, in which X-rays scatter when passing through the specimen, creating out patterns for analyzing molecular structures.

However, X-ray crystallography depends on whether biological molecules form ordered structures. This does not always happen. Moreover, this technique does not allow people to observe how molecules move. TEM also has the disadvantage that the electron beam burns biomolecules, making it impossible for scientists to study the molecular structure.

Frozen electron experimental microscopy techniques solve these difficulties, allowing scientists to use TEM to observe biological molecules under high resolution.

Frank developed sophisticated image processing techniques to isolate TEM data and reconstruct images of liquid biological molecules, as they point out in different directions.

Henderson and his team used glucose solution to prevent the dry molecule, combining weaker electron beams with images from different angles and constructing a 3D image of an ordered protein in a biofilm. . Later, he successfully found the 3D structure at the atomic resolution level of the protein for the first time.

Atomic structure of some protein complexes.(Photo: Business Insider).

Dubochet found a new way to prevent the molecule from drying out. Henderson's technique is not effective for water-soluble biological molecules, while freezing of specimens creates ice crystals, making the image difficult to analyze.

Dubochet's solution is to cool extremely fast specimens, turning cell water into solid glass instead of ice crystals that damage the cell structure. As a result, biological specimens are cooled and still retain their natural shape.

The research of three scientists and efforts to improve new technologies brought about great progress."Frozen electron microscopy techniques help people directly observe the molecular world of cells, " said Andrea Sella, professor of inorganic chemistry at the University of London. One of the achievements of the new technique is to help clarify the mechanism of DNA that is copied into single RNA molecules.

In the future, new techniques can be used to study drugs, the components of cells involved in sensing pain, temperature and pressure. Scientists are also working on improving the resolution.

"Frozen electron microscopy is one of the essential and important techniques that can be applied in all areas of biology, including understanding the human body, human diseases. and new drug preparation , " Davis said.

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