ACS Nano· 2026Q1
Visualizing Mycoplasma with Nanometer Resolution without Compromising Viability
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Researchers visualized live Mycoplasma cells with nanometer resolution using low-energy (30 keV) electron microscopy, achieving a lethal fluence for 50% of the population (LF50) over 4,700 e–/nm2, a significant improvement over high-energy beams.
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Key points
- Live Mycoplasma cells were imaged at nanometer resolution using low-energy (30 keV) differential phase-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy.
- Cell viability was maintained at a lethal fluence for 50% of the population (LF50) exceeding 4,700 e–/nm2 at 30 keV.
- This LF50 is over 80 times higher than the <57 e–/nm2 observed at 300 keV beam energy.
- The technique allowed visualization of 'gliding' motility mechanisms crucial for Mycoplasma's infection and host attachment.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract This work represents a step toward the elucidation of the biological mechanisms underpinning live cell physiology with nanometer resolution. Using low-energy (30 keV), low-fluence, probe-corrected, integrated differential phase-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy, in conjunction with a liquid flow cell, genetically engineered Mycoplasma strains, M. mobile and M. pneumoniae, which are among the smallest self-replicating cells, were scrutinized with nanometer resolution without compromising viability. Following exposure to a 30 keV electron beam, viability was scored at a lethal fluence to 50% (LF50) of the population at LF50 > 4,700 e–/nm2 by expression of an inducible fluorescent reporter, which is in stark contrast with the LF50 < 57 e–/nm2 observed at a beam energy of 300 keV. The higher LF50 at the lower beam energy of 30 keV afforded a wide window for high-resolution imaging of cell physiology. In this window, the mechanisms for “gliding” motility in Mycoplasma, which are supposed to be essential to infection and mediate attachment to a host, were visualized with nanometer resolution.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. ACS Nano, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Structural BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology