About Us

Access to the Montana State Cryo-EM Core Facility is available to internal users, external academic users, and external commercial users.

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Services Offered

Single Particle Analysis

Single Particle Analysis (SPA) is capable of achieving high-resolution 3D structures for many proteins or macromolecular complexes.

For single particle analysis, current collection rates are up to 10,000 images/day via SerialEM.  The facility offers live, on-the-fly data analysis, and is equipped for full remote operation and can transfer data between institutions via Globus.

Cryo-electron Tomography

Cryo-electron tomography (CET) is a revolutionary technique that allows for detailed data collection of complex biological samples, illuminating previously hard to interrogate phenomena such as virus-cell interactions, or localization of sub-cellular structures. 

Available Instruments

Talos Arctica Cryo-EM + Gatan K3 Direct Electron Detector

The Talos Arctica Cryo-EM is a 200 kV cryo-capable transmission electron microscope. It is equipped with a field emission gun (FEG) source, and a https://www.gatan.com/K3. This instrument is capable of generating high resolution (> 3 Å) 3D structures of proteins, protein complexes, and other macromolecules. 

Tecnai Spirit TEM + Gatan UltraScan 1000 XP

The Tecnai Spirit TEM is an easy  to use 20 kV to 120 kV transmission electron microscope (TEM)  designed to provide high-contrast, high-resolution imaging and analysis. Accelerating voltages ranging from 20 kV to 120 kV are ideal for light element biological matrices and provide the low voltage capability.

Vitrobot Mk. IV

 The Vitrobot Mark IV System is a state-of-the-art specimen preparation unit that offers great value to the demanding scientific areas of cell biology and molecular imaging as well as being very suitable for food, industrial, pharmaceutical and nanotechnological applications—where the true colloidal structure needs to be viewed.

Acknowledgements

Funding to establish the cryo-EM core facility was provided by the National Science Foundation, the Murdock Charitable Trust, and MSU's Office of Research, Economic Development, and Graduate Education