Image365

This image for day 81 of #LMB365 is from Yara Sanchez-Corrales in Katja Röper’s group in the Cell Biology Division. It is of a Drosophila melanogaster embryo showing apical membrane in the whole embryo (green). The 3D cell shape of some cells can be appreciated using a cytoplasm marker (magenta). For more information about 3D shape, check their recent paper @eLife: https://elifesciences.org/articles/35717

LMB scientists often give talks to explain their research for members of the public. For day 80 of #LMB365 we see Liz Miller contributing to the Cambridge Science Festival and describing how cells police their proteins to make sure that they are assembled correctly

This drawing for day 79 of #LMB365 is by Paul Margiotta #piljammin in the LMB’s Visual Aids team. It is an abstract interpretation of the LMB’s use of X-rays to reveal hitherto undefined protein structures overlaid with the period feel of the film used for this early work.

LMB scientists are taking part in the Cambridge Science Festival. On day 78 of LMB365 we see some of the new model proteins that visitors made while learning about synthetic biology at the Guildhall on Saturday.

Electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) is used across the LMB to determine protein structures. Part of the process for data collection involves screening grids in the electron microscope to check the grids have been produced correctly and the samples can be used. Sadly this is not always the case and on day 77 of #LMB365 “Sam” identified that the ice was too thin to be useful. To cheer himself up he wrote his name in the holes of the EM grid by melting the ice with the electron beam.

Day 76 of #LMB365 is an image of synchronous nuclear divisions in the fruit fly embryo captured by David Salvador-Garcia in Simon Bullock’s lab in the LMB’s Cell Biology Division. David is studying how chromosome segregation is co-ordinated by the molecular motor dynein.