Bioinspired surfactants that protect cryo-EM samples against denaturation at the air-water interface

Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) can describe the structure of the large molecules that form the basis of life. In cryo-EM, the sample environment resembles the cellular environment with one major exception: The thin aqueous films needed for high-quality cryo-EM have an enormous air-water interface relative to their volumes. Many biomolecules adhere to this interface and the derived effects prevents structure determination. We propose to produce bioinspired molecules that coat the air-water interface and protect the samples. The design is inspired by chaperone proteins that allow plant seeds to be frozen and dried out without damage to the cells. If this project improves the success rate of cryo-EM studies, it will accelerate the study of molecular mechanisms in cells.