Dresden 2011 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 12: Posters: New Technologies
BP 12.13: Poster
Monday, March 14, 2011, 17:15–20:00, P3
Electron cryo-microscopy of biological specimens on ultrathin graphene-like conductive carbon nanomembranes — •Daniel Rhinow1, Matthias Büenfeld2, Nils-Eike Weber2, André Beyer2, Janet Vonck1, Michael Schranz3, Armin Gölzhäuser2, Werner Kühlbrandt1, Norbert Hampp3, and Andrey Turchanin2 — 1Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysik, Max-von-Laue-Str. 3, 60438 Frankfurt — 2Universität Bielefeld, Fakultät für Physik, 33615 Bielefeld — 3Universität Marburg, Fachbereich Chemie, Hans-Meerwein-Str., 35032 Marburg
We have tested ultrathin carbon nanomembranes (CNM) comprising cross-linked biphenyl precursors as support films for transmission electron microscopy of biological specimens. Due to their low thickness of 1 nm CNM add virtually no phase contrast to the transmission pattern thus allowing background-free structural analysis of biological samples, which comprise mainly light elements. Furthermore, we have tested conductive carbon nanomembranes (cCNM) comprising nanocrystalline graphene, obtained by thermal treatment of CNM, as supports for cryoEM of frozen-hydrated biological samples. cCNM are graphene-like substrates, which ideally match all requirements for cryoEM of electrically insulating biological specimens. To analyze the performance of cCNM support films we used purple membranes from Halobacterium salinarum and tobacco mosaic virus as test specimens.