Electron cryo-microsopes
We operate state-of-the-art transmission and scanning electron microscopes under cryogenic conditions for single particle structure determination and electron tomography. Our advanced sample preparation equipment paired with the latest microscopy technology, enables us to provide a broad range of applications for both, academic and industrial users.
TFS Talos L120 C
The Talos L120C electron microscope is a robust tool routinely used for initial screening of a biological sample’s purity and homogeneity. The main application at the ER-C is negative staining – a heavy metal embedding of purified proteins at room temperature (see image). In addition, the evaluation of sample quality can also be performed at cryogenic temperatures.
TFS Talos Arctica G2
The Talos Arctica (ThermoFisher Scientific) is a 200 kV microscope suitable for cryo-sample screening and high-resolution data acquisition. Main applications are single-particle imaging and cryo-tomography acquisitions. The Talos Arctica is equipped with a K3 Bioquantum energy filter which has power to resolve standard Apoferritin samples down to 2Å and ~200 acquisitions/hour is the current rate of collection in counting mode.
TFS Titan Krios G4
The Krios G4 (Thermo-Fisher Scientific) is a 300 kV FEG cryo-electron microscope with X-FEG field emitter and a three-lens condenser system. The detector options are a Gatan BioContinuum energy filter mounted K3 direct electron detection camera and a bottom mounted Falcon 4(i) detector (FEI). Combined with fringe-free imaging (FFI) and aberration-free image shift (AFIS) in EPU, high-throughput imaging rates can be achieved. The microscope can be tuned set up for single-particle imaging, STEM and tomography experiments. Additionally, the Titan Krios is equipped with a Panther detector system (4 segments and annular dark-field detectors) that can be used for iDPC and HAADF-STEM imaging. The acquisition rate for a single particle sample on the Titan Krios is ~250-700 acquisitions/hour and we have achieved a maximal resolution of 1.7 Å with an apo-ferritin test sample.
TFS Aquilos 2 cryo-FIB
The Aquilos 2 is a dual beam FIB-SEM platform specifically designed for sectioning of cryo-fixed samples, producing thin lamellae suitable for cryo-electron tomography at an TEM in an automated batch method. Updated with the integrated fluorescence microscopy module – METEOR system and CERES ice shield (Delmic), our Aquilos 2 allows for performing in-situ fluorescence microscopy directly on the sample inside the system and reduces transfer steps and associated ice contamination, simultaneously increasing the efficiency of the cryo- correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) pipeline. The Aquilos 2 can be used to cut “windows” in (biological specimen) so cellular processes can be subsequently visualized and later resolved three-dimensionally in their native environment.