Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42881156›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Cryo-EM sample preparation with soft-landing and laser flash melting.

Sarah V Barrass, Tim K Esser, Nathan J Mowry, Lukas Eriksson, Jakub Wenz, Laurence T Seeley, Wyatt A Curtis, Lindsay A Baker, Marcel Drabbels, Stephan Rauschenbach and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Sarah V BarrassEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratory of Molecular Nanodynamics, Lausanne, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7319-6268
Tim K EsserKavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1174-4131
Nathan J MowryEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratory of Molecular Nanodynamics, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Lukas ErikssonKavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-1149-6118
Jakub WenzEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratory of Molecular Nanodynamics, Lausanne, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5837-9119
Laurence T SeeleyKavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2968-3725
Wyatt A CurtisEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratory of Molecular Nanodynamics, Lausanne, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-9452-5285
Lindsay A BakerKavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9578-4263
Marcel DrabbelsEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratory of Molecular Nanodynamics, Lausanne, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8611-2684
Stephan RauschenbachKavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9382-1948
Ulrich J LorenzEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratory of Molecular Nanodynamics, Lausanne, Switzerland. ulrich.lorenz@epfl.ch.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8869-5999

Funding

EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Excellent Science | H2020 European Research Council (H2020 Excellent Science - European Research Council) 759145EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Excellent Science | H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (H2020 Excellent Science - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions) 883387Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (Swiss National Science Foundation) PP00P2_163681Wellcome Trust (Wellcome) 218482/Z/19/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The preparation of cryo-EM samples by soft-landing mass spectrometry promises to significantly simplify sample optimization, which has remained an important bottleneck in single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo‑EM). However, only compacted configurations are observed after soft-landing since the proteins are dehydrated in the process. Here, we deposit a layer of amorphous ice onto the sample and briefly flash melt it to rehydrate the soft-landed proteins. Melting with a 30 µs laser pulse creates a broad ensemble of partially rehydrated structures. However, a subset of particles returns to a configuration close to the native state. This allows us to propose strategies to fully rehydrate the entire ensemble and brings routine sample preparation by soft-landing mass spectrometry within reach.

Identifiers

PMID42881156

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.