System for sample storage and shipping for cryoelectron microscopy
AssigneeMiTeGen, LLC
InventorsDavid Closs, Jessica Benitez, Benjamin Apker, Mazdak Radjainia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for storing and shipping samples for cryo-electron microscopy. The system comprising a cassette puck and support platform that accepts commercial cryo-EM sample cassettes and is compatible to a substantial extent with tools used in cryocrystallography. The system can also work with existing Cryo-EM storage and transport puck and cane systems. The cassette puck comprising a receptacle for holding one or more cassettes and a plurality of holes and grooves. The holes and grooves being configured for use with other tools such as tongs, support platforms, and canes.
Claims19
A cassette puck for holding a cryoelectron microscopy sample that is compatible with sample handling and storage tools for X-ray cryocrystallography, the cassette puck comprising:
- a body comprising a first surface, a second surface, a first side, and a second side;
- a receptacle formed in the first surface and dimensioned to accept a sample cassette and a handling tool;
- first and second holes formed through the first and second surfaces in the body that allow the cassette puck to be gripped with tongs from above, wherein the first hole is positioned above the receptacle of the first surface, and the second hole is positioned below the receptacle on the first surface;
- and
- a set of grooves formed on the first and second sides of the body and dimensioned to allow the cassette puck to be gripped with a set of tongs.
A sample holder system for cryoelectron microscopy samples that is compatible with sample handling and storage tools for X-ray cryocrystallography, the sample holder system comprising:
- a cassette puck comprising a first surface, a second surface, a first side, and a second side;
- a receptacle formed in the first surface and dimensioned to accept a sample cassette and a handling tool;
- first and second holes formed through the first and second surfaces that allow the cassette puck to be gripped with tongs from above, wherein the first hole is positioned above the receptacle of the first surface, and the second hole is positioned below the receptacle on the first surface;
- a set of grooves formed on the first and second sides of the cassette puck and dimensioned to allow the cassette puck to be gripped with a set of tongs;
- and
- a cassette puck support platform comprising a recess configured to hold the cassette puck in a fixed orientation during loading of the sample cassette.
A process having steps for loading samples for use in single-particle cryoelectron microscopy, the steps comprising:
- filling a cassette loading station with liquid nitrogen;
- placing a cassette puck support platform into the cassette loading station so that the cassette puck support platform is fully immersed in the liquid nitrogen;
- unlocking and rotating open a cover of a cassette puck;
- placing the cassette puck onto the cassette puck support platform so that the cassette puck is held in place by features of the cassette puck support platform and cannot rotate or slide, and so that the cassette puck is fully immersed in liquid nitrogen;
- loading grid boxes which contain grids holding samples into grid box receptacles of the cassette puck so that the grids are fully immersed in the liquid nitrogen;
- grabbing a cryo-EM sample cassette using a handling tool;
- inserting the cryo-EM sample cassette into the cassette puck so the cassette gripping end is immersed in the liquid nitrogen;
- opening lids of the grid boxes to access the grids;
- screwing the lids of the grid boxes into the cassette puck to secure the grid boxes within the cassette puck;
- transferring selected ones of the grids from the grid box to the sample cassette;
- and
- closing the cover of the cassette puck by rotating the cover 180 degrees and engaging a cover lock with the cover to prevent subsequent rotation of the cover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.