Revealing the underlying correlations between microscopic structures and the fundamental physicochemical properties is essential for designing better functional materials.Cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM)techniqu...Revealing the underlying correlations between microscopic structures and the fundamental physicochemical properties is essential for designing better functional materials.Cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM)techniques have emerged as an essential tool for obtaining high-resolution images of beam-sensitive materials and studying properties at low temperatures for materials science.In this perspective,we compare and present the similarities and differences in cryo-EM workflows for biomolecules and materials,and briefly enumerate several scenarios of cryo-EM applications in materials science.Finally,we point out the current challenges of cryo-EM and potential directions for its future development.This perspective aims to shed light on the application of cryo-EM in materials science and provide useful guidance.展开更多
DNA nanotechnology utilizes DNA double strands as building units for self-assembly of DNA nanostructures.The specific base-pairing interaction between DNA molecules is the basis of these assemblies.After decades of de...DNA nanotechnology utilizes DNA double strands as building units for self-assembly of DNA nanostructures.The specific base-pairing interaction between DNA molecules is the basis of these assemblies.After decades of development,this technology has been able to construct complex and programmable structures.With the increase in delicate nature and complexity of the synthesized nanostructures,a characterization technology that can observe these structures in three dimensions has become necessary,and developing such a technology is considerably challenging.DNA assemblies have been studied using different characterization methods including atomic force microscopy(AFM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).However,the three-dimensional(3D)DNA assemblies always collapse locally due to the dehydration during the drying process.Cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM)can overcome the challenge by maintaining three-dimensional morphologies of the cryogenic samples and reconstruct the 3D models from cryogenic samples accordingly by collecting thousands of two-dimensional(2D)projection images,which can restore their original morphologies in solution.Here,we have reviewed several typical cases of 3D DNA-assemblies and highlighted the applications of cryo-EM in characterization of these assemblies.By comparing with some other characterization methods,we have shown how cryo-EM promoted the development of structural characterization in the field of DNA nanotechnology.展开更多
Fast-charging lithium-ion batteries are highly required,especially in reducing the mileage anxiety of the widespread electric vehicles.One of the biggest bottlenecks lies in the sluggish kinetics of the Li^(+)intercal...Fast-charging lithium-ion batteries are highly required,especially in reducing the mileage anxiety of the widespread electric vehicles.One of the biggest bottlenecks lies in the sluggish kinetics of the Li^(+)intercalation into the graphite anode;slow intercalation will lead to lithium metal plating,severe side reactions,and safety concerns.The premise to solve these problems is to fully understand the reaction pathways and rate-determining steps of graphite during fast Li^(+)intercalation.Herein,we compare the Li^(+)diffusion through the graphite particle,interface,and electrode,uncover the structure of the lithiated graphite at high current densities,and correlate them with the reaction kinetics and electrochemical performances.It is found that the rate-determining steps are highly dependent on the particle size,interphase property,and electrode configuration.Insufficient Li^(+)diffusion leads to high polarization,incomplete intercalation,and the coexistence of several staging structures.Interfacial Li^(+)diffusion and electrode transportation are the main rate-determining steps if the particle size is less than 10μm.The former is highly dependent on the electrolyte chemistry and can be enhanced by constructing a fluorinated interphase.Our findings enrich the understanding of the graphite structural evolution during rapid Li^(+)intercalation,decipher the bottleneck for the sluggish reaction kinetics,and provide strategic guidelines to boost the fast-charging performance of graphite anode.展开更多
The development of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems(SNEDDS) to enhance the oral bioavailability of lipophilic drugs is usually based on traditional one-factor-at-a-time approaches. These approaches may be in...The development of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems(SNEDDS) to enhance the oral bioavailability of lipophilic drugs is usually based on traditional one-factor-at-a-time approaches. These approaches may be inadequate to analyse the effect of each excipient and their potential interactions on the emulsion droplet size formed when dispersing the SNEDDS in an aqueous environment. The current study investigates the emulsion droplet sizes formed from SNEDDS containing different levels of the natural surfactant monoacyl phosphatidylcholine to reduce the concentration of the synthetic surfactant polyoxyl 40 hydrogenated castor oil(Kolliphor ~? RH40). Monoacyl phosphatidylcholine was used in the form of Lipoid S LPC 80(LPC, containing approximately 80% monoacyl phosphatidylcholine, 13% phosphatidylcholine and 4% concomitant components). The investigated SNEDDS comprised of long-chain or medium-chain glycerides(40% to 75%), Kolliphor ~? RH40(5% to 55%), LPC(0 to 40%) and ethanol(0 to 10%). D-optimal design, multiple linear regression, and partial least square regression were used to screen different SNEDDS within the investigated excipient ranges and to analyse the effect of each excipient on the resulting droplet size of the dispersed SNEDDS measured by dynamic light scattering. All investigated formulations formed nano-emulsions with droplet sizes from about 20 to 200 nm. The use of mediumchain glycerides was more likely to result in smaller and more monodisperse droplet sizes compared to the use of long-chain glycerides. Kolliphor~? RH40 exhibited the most significant effect on reducing the emulsion droplet sizes. Increasing LPC concentration increased the emulsion droplet sizes, possibly because of the reduction of Kolliphor~? RH40 concentration. A higher concentration of ethanol resulted in an insignificant reduction of the emulsion droplet size. The study provides different ternary diagrams of SNEDDS containing LPC and Kolliphor ~? RH40 as a reference for formulation developers.展开更多
The revolutionary improvement of hardware and algorithm in cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM)has made it a routine method to obtain structures of macromolecules at near-atomic resolution.Nevertheless,this techniqu...The revolutionary improvement of hardware and algorithm in cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM)has made it a routine method to obtain structures of macromolecules at near-atomic resolution.Nevertheless,this technique still faces many challenges.The structure-solving efficiency of cryo-EM can be significantly reduced by the biomolecules'denaturation on the air–water interfaces,the preferred orientation,strong background noise from supporting films and particle motion,and so forth.To overcome these problems,nanomaterials with ultrahigh electronic conductivity and ultrathin thickness are explored as promising cryo-EM specimen supporting films.Herein,we summarize the structural engineering of graphene,for example,surface and interface modification,as supporting films for grids and the application on high-resolution cryo-EM and discuss potential future perspectives.展开更多
A cryogenic scanning electron microscopy（cryo-SEM） technique was used to explore the shear-thickening behavior of Fe-ZSM5 zeolite pastes and to discover its underlying mechanism. Bare Fe-ZSM5 zeolite samples were fo...A cryogenic scanning electron microscopy（cryo-SEM） technique was used to explore the shear-thickening behavior of Fe-ZSM5 zeolite pastes and to discover its underlying mechanism. Bare Fe-ZSM5 zeolite samples were found to contain agglomerations, which may break the flow of the pastes and cause shear-thickening behaviors. However, the shear-thickening behaviors can be eliminated by the addition of halloysite and various boehmites because of improved particle packing. Furthermore, compared with pure Fe-ZSM5 zeolite samples and its composite samples with halloysite, the samples with boehmite（Pural SB or Disperal） additions exhibited network structures in their cryo-SEM images; these structures could facilitate the storage and release of flow water, smooth paste flow, and avoid shear-thickening. By contrast, another boehmite（Versal 250） formed agglomerations rather than network structures after being added to the Fe-ZSM5 zeolite paste and resulted in shear-thickening behavior. Consequently, the results suggest that these network structures play key roles in eliminating the shear-thickening behavior.展开更多
The deep-learning protein structure prediction method AlphaFold2 has garnered enormous attention beyond the realm of structural biology,for its groundbreaking contribution to solving the"protein foiding problem&q...The deep-learning protein structure prediction method AlphaFold2 has garnered enormous attention beyond the realm of structural biology,for its groundbreaking contribution to solving the"protein foiding problem"In this perspective,we explore the connection between protein structure studies and environmental research,delving into the potential for addressing specific environmental challenges.Proteins are promising for environmental applications because of the functional diversity endowed by their structural complexity.However,structural studies on proteins with environmental significance remain scarce.Here,we present the opportunity to study proteins by advancing experimental determination and deep-learning prediction methods.Specifically,the latest progress in environmental research via cryogenic electron microscopy is highlighted.It allows us to determine the structure of protein complexes in their native state within cells at molecular resolution,revealing environmentally-associated structural dynamics.With the remarkable advancements in computational power and experimental resolution,the study of protein structure and dynamics has reached unprecedented depth and accuracy.These advancements will undoubtedly accelerate the establishment of comprehensive environmental protein structural and functional databases.Tremendous opportunities for protein engineering exist to enable innovative solutions for environmental applications,such as the degradation of persistent contaminants,and the recovery of valuable metals as well as rare earth elements.展开更多
Cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM)has extensively boosted structural biology research since the“resolution revolution”in the year of 2013 which was soon awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017.The advances ...Cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM)has extensively boosted structural biology research since the“resolution revolution”in the year of 2013 which was soon awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017.The advances in camera techniques and software algorithms enabled cryoEM to routinely characterize the three-dimensional structures of biomolecules at near-atomic resolution.Biomolecules are basically sensitive to electron irradiation damage,which can be minimized at cryo-temperature.This principle has inspired material scientists to characterize electron beam-or air-sensitive materials by cryo-EM,such as the electrodes in the lithium-ion battery,metal-organic frameworks(MOFs),covalent-organic frameworks(COFs)and zeolites.In addition,the reaction systems can be fast-frozen at vitreous ice in cryoEM,which correspondingly preserves the materials at the close-to-native state.Herein,we summarized the development and applications of both the cryo-EM technique and other emerging cryo-techniques in materials science,and energy storage and conversion.Cryo-EM techniques,capable of the direct observation of sensitive materials and electrochemical reaction processes,will greatly renew our understanding of materials science and related mechanisms.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(grant no.2022YFB2502200)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC+4 种基金grant nos.52172257 and 22005334)the Natural Science Foundation of Beijing,China(grant no.Z200013),the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(grant no.2023M743739)the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(CPSFgrant no.GZC20232939)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Youth Interdisciplinary Team.
文摘Revealing the underlying correlations between microscopic structures and the fundamental physicochemical properties is essential for designing better functional materials.Cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM)techniques have emerged as an essential tool for obtaining high-resolution images of beam-sensitive materials and studying properties at low temperatures for materials science.In this perspective,we compare and present the similarities and differences in cryo-EM workflows for biomolecules and materials,and briefly enumerate several scenarios of cryo-EM applications in materials science.Finally,we point out the current challenges of cryo-EM and potential directions for its future development.This perspective aims to shed light on the application of cryo-EM in materials science and provide useful guidance.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.11835008,21971109,21834004)the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2017YFF0105000)+5 种基金the Special Project of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan National Independent Innovation Demonstration Area,China(Nos.2017GK2293,2018XK2303)the Jiangsu Youth Fund,China(No.BK20180337)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(No.14380151)the Program for Innovative Talents and Entre preneur in Jiangsu Province,China(No.l33181)the Shenzhen International Cooperation Research Project,China(No.GJHZ20180930090602235)the Nanjing Science and Technology Innovation Project for Oversea Scholars5 Merit Funding,China(No.133170).
文摘DNA nanotechnology utilizes DNA double strands as building units for self-assembly of DNA nanostructures.The specific base-pairing interaction between DNA molecules is the basis of these assemblies.After decades of development,this technology has been able to construct complex and programmable structures.With the increase in delicate nature and complexity of the synthesized nanostructures,a characterization technology that can observe these structures in three dimensions has become necessary,and developing such a technology is considerably challenging.DNA assemblies have been studied using different characterization methods including atomic force microscopy(AFM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).However,the three-dimensional(3D)DNA assemblies always collapse locally due to the dehydration during the drying process.Cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM)can overcome the challenge by maintaining three-dimensional morphologies of the cryogenic samples and reconstruct the 3D models from cryogenic samples accordingly by collecting thousands of two-dimensional(2D)projection images,which can restore their original morphologies in solution.Here,we have reviewed several typical cases of 3D DNA-assemblies and highlighted the applications of cryo-EM in characterization of these assemblies.By comparing with some other characterization methods,we have shown how cryo-EM promoted the development of structural characterization in the field of DNA nanotechnology.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC No.52172257 and 22005334)the Natural Science Foundation of Beijing(Grant No.Z200013)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2022YFB2502200).
文摘Fast-charging lithium-ion batteries are highly required,especially in reducing the mileage anxiety of the widespread electric vehicles.One of the biggest bottlenecks lies in the sluggish kinetics of the Li^(+)intercalation into the graphite anode;slow intercalation will lead to lithium metal plating,severe side reactions,and safety concerns.The premise to solve these problems is to fully understand the reaction pathways and rate-determining steps of graphite during fast Li^(+)intercalation.Herein,we compare the Li^(+)diffusion through the graphite particle,interface,and electrode,uncover the structure of the lithiated graphite at high current densities,and correlate them with the reaction kinetics and electrochemical performances.It is found that the rate-determining steps are highly dependent on the particle size,interphase property,and electrode configuration.Insufficient Li^(+)diffusion leads to high polarization,incomplete intercalation,and the coexistence of several staging structures.Interfacial Li^(+)diffusion and electrode transportation are the main rate-determining steps if the particle size is less than 10μm.The former is highly dependent on the electrolyte chemistry and can be enhanced by constructing a fluorinated interphase.Our findings enrich the understanding of the graphite structural evolution during rapid Li^(+)intercalation,decipher the bottleneck for the sluggish reaction kinetics,and provide strategic guidelines to boost the fast-charging performance of graphite anode.
基金Financial support from the University of Copenhagen and the Phospholipid Research Center(Heidelberg,Germany)is kindly acknowledged
文摘The development of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems(SNEDDS) to enhance the oral bioavailability of lipophilic drugs is usually based on traditional one-factor-at-a-time approaches. These approaches may be inadequate to analyse the effect of each excipient and their potential interactions on the emulsion droplet size formed when dispersing the SNEDDS in an aqueous environment. The current study investigates the emulsion droplet sizes formed from SNEDDS containing different levels of the natural surfactant monoacyl phosphatidylcholine to reduce the concentration of the synthetic surfactant polyoxyl 40 hydrogenated castor oil(Kolliphor ~? RH40). Monoacyl phosphatidylcholine was used in the form of Lipoid S LPC 80(LPC, containing approximately 80% monoacyl phosphatidylcholine, 13% phosphatidylcholine and 4% concomitant components). The investigated SNEDDS comprised of long-chain or medium-chain glycerides(40% to 75%), Kolliphor ~? RH40(5% to 55%), LPC(0 to 40%) and ethanol(0 to 10%). D-optimal design, multiple linear regression, and partial least square regression were used to screen different SNEDDS within the investigated excipient ranges and to analyse the effect of each excipient on the resulting droplet size of the dispersed SNEDDS measured by dynamic light scattering. All investigated formulations formed nano-emulsions with droplet sizes from about 20 to 200 nm. The use of mediumchain glycerides was more likely to result in smaller and more monodisperse droplet sizes compared to the use of long-chain glycerides. Kolliphor~? RH40 exhibited the most significant effect on reducing the emulsion droplet sizes. Increasing LPC concentration increased the emulsion droplet sizes, possibly because of the reduction of Kolliphor~? RH40 concentration. A higher concentration of ethanol resulted in an insignificant reduction of the emulsion droplet size. The study provides different ternary diagrams of SNEDDS containing LPC and Kolliphor ~? RH40 as a reference for formulation developers.
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(2016YFA0501100)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31825009)to Hong-Wei Wang.
文摘The revolutionary improvement of hardware and algorithm in cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM)has made it a routine method to obtain structures of macromolecules at near-atomic resolution.Nevertheless,this technique still faces many challenges.The structure-solving efficiency of cryo-EM can be significantly reduced by the biomolecules'denaturation on the air–water interfaces,the preferred orientation,strong background noise from supporting films and particle motion,and so forth.To overcome these problems,nanomaterials with ultrahigh electronic conductivity and ultrathin thickness are explored as promising cryo-EM specimen supporting films.Herein,we summarize the structural engineering of graphene,for example,surface and interface modification,as supporting films for grids and the application on high-resolution cryo-EM and discuss potential future perspectives.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51602018)Beijing Natural Science Foundation (No. 2154052)+2 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project (No. 2014M560044)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (FRF-GF-17-B7)National Key Technologies Research and Development Program of China:Key International Science and Technology Cooperation Projects (2016YFE0111500)
文摘A cryogenic scanning electron microscopy（cryo-SEM） technique was used to explore the shear-thickening behavior of Fe-ZSM5 zeolite pastes and to discover its underlying mechanism. Bare Fe-ZSM5 zeolite samples were found to contain agglomerations, which may break the flow of the pastes and cause shear-thickening behaviors. However, the shear-thickening behaviors can be eliminated by the addition of halloysite and various boehmites because of improved particle packing. Furthermore, compared with pure Fe-ZSM5 zeolite samples and its composite samples with halloysite, the samples with boehmite（Pural SB or Disperal） additions exhibited network structures in their cryo-SEM images; these structures could facilitate the storage and release of flow water, smooth paste flow, and avoid shear-thickening. By contrast, another boehmite（Versal 250） formed agglomerations rather than network structures after being added to the Fe-ZSM5 zeolite paste and resulted in shear-thickening behavior. Consequently, the results suggest that these network structures play key roles in eliminating the shear-thickening behavior.
基金Financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52225001 and 51978485)the State Key Laboratory for Pollution Control(China)is acknowledged.
文摘The deep-learning protein structure prediction method AlphaFold2 has garnered enormous attention beyond the realm of structural biology,for its groundbreaking contribution to solving the"protein foiding problem"In this perspective,we explore the connection between protein structure studies and environmental research,delving into the potential for addressing specific environmental challenges.Proteins are promising for environmental applications because of the functional diversity endowed by their structural complexity.However,structural studies on proteins with environmental significance remain scarce.Here,we present the opportunity to study proteins by advancing experimental determination and deep-learning prediction methods.Specifically,the latest progress in environmental research via cryogenic electron microscopy is highlighted.It allows us to determine the structure of protein complexes in their native state within cells at molecular resolution,revealing environmentally-associated structural dynamics.With the remarkable advancements in computational power and experimental resolution,the study of protein structure and dynamics has reached unprecedented depth and accuracy.These advancements will undoubtedly accelerate the establishment of comprehensive environmental protein structural and functional databases.Tremendous opportunities for protein engineering exist to enable innovative solutions for environmental applications,such as the degradation of persistent contaminants,and the recovery of valuable metals as well as rare earth elements.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52171219 and 91963113)。
文摘Cryogenic electron microscopy(cryo-EM)has extensively boosted structural biology research since the“resolution revolution”in the year of 2013 which was soon awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017.The advances in camera techniques and software algorithms enabled cryoEM to routinely characterize the three-dimensional structures of biomolecules at near-atomic resolution.Biomolecules are basically sensitive to electron irradiation damage,which can be minimized at cryo-temperature.This principle has inspired material scientists to characterize electron beam-or air-sensitive materials by cryo-EM,such as the electrodes in the lithium-ion battery,metal-organic frameworks(MOFs),covalent-organic frameworks(COFs)and zeolites.In addition,the reaction systems can be fast-frozen at vitreous ice in cryoEM,which correspondingly preserves the materials at the close-to-native state.Herein,we summarized the development and applications of both the cryo-EM technique and other emerging cryo-techniques in materials science,and energy storage and conversion.Cryo-EM techniques,capable of the direct observation of sensitive materials and electrochemical reaction processes,will greatly renew our understanding of materials science and related mechanisms.
