Time resolution in cryo-EM using a PDMS-based microfluidic chip assembly and its application to the study of HflX-mediated ribosome recycling. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38244547/)

These scientists wanted to understand how certain molecules in our bodies change shape and react with each other really quickly. They used a special method called cryo-EM to see these molecules in action. But it's hard to see them because they change so quickly. So, the scientists made a tiny device using a special material called PDMS. They put the molecules in this device and mixed them together really well. They also coated the walls of the device with a special material called SiO(2) to make sure the molecules didn't stick to the walls. This helped them see the molecules better.

Using this device, the scientists were able to watch a reaction happening between certain molecules in a bacteria called E. coli. They saw that a molecule called HflX was splitting another molecule called the ribosome. They could see this happening at a very high level of detail, almost like taking a super close-up picture. They saw three different stages of the reaction, all within a very short time of 140 milliseconds. This helped them understand how these molecules work together and how they change shape during the reaction.

Bhattacharjee S., Feng X., Maji S., Dadhwal P., Zhang Z., Brown ZP., Frank J. Time resolution in cryo-EM using a PDMS-based microfluidic chip assembly and its application to the study of HflX-mediated ribosome recycling. Cell. 2024 Feb 1;187(3):782-796.e23. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.12.027. Epub 2024 Jan 19.