Cryo-Electron Microscopy (cryo-EM) is a pivotal tool for determining 3D structures of biological macromolecules. Current workflows are computationally demanding and require manual intervention, creati...

AbstractThe analysis of high molecular weight or heterogeneous macromolecules is a significant analytical challenge. This is especially the case in mass spectrometry, where heterogeneity results in unresolved signal in m/z from which charge, and thus mass, information cannot be discerned. Recent developments in mass spectrometry-based approaches overcome these challenges by the simultaneous detection of m/z and charge, and their expanded application has been aided by the development of commercial instrument platforms for transmitting large, heterogeneous molecules. However, the characterization of heterogeneous species that span a broad range in m/z, such as glycoproteins, polysaccharides, or polymers, is still particularly challenging due to m/z bias that is induced by the conventional approach of tuning a mass spectrometer for optimal transmission over a narrow window in m/z. To assist MS users in understanding and characterizing this m/z bias, the reader is guided through the entire ion path of an Orbitrap UHMR mass spectrometer and explained the purpose and effect of each component on ion detection. On the basis of this knowledge, practical recommendations for instrument tuning are presented with the aim of mitigating m/z bias and standardizing mass spectrum data reporting. The main target audience of this tutorial are bio-, synthetic or analytical chemists with an interest in the characterization of heterogeneous molecules and mixtures, or scientists interested in understanding each of the factors that contribute to the generation of a mass spectrum on one of the most widely used commercial instrument platforms in the world.

Sébastien Gouin, CNRS Research Director and head of the “Glycochimie et Bioconjugués” team at the CEISAM laboratory in Nantes, will give a seminar entitled “Electrochemical Bioconjugation of Carbohydrates and Glycomimetics on Protein and Cell Surfaces”.

Véronique Bonnet, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Picardie Jules Verne and member of the Laboratoire de Glycochimie et des Agroressources (LG2A), will give a seminar entitled “Cyclodextrins: from a Multifunctional Platform to Tailor-Made Building Blocks”;

Théodore ARNAUD conducted his doctoral research at Cermav, under the co-supervision of Dr. Anne Imberty (CERMAV) and Dr. Mathew Blakeley (Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL)), with contributions from Dr. Annabelle Varrot and Dr. Emeline Richard-Millot (CERMAV), as well as Dr. Juliette Devos and Dr. Lukas Gajdos (Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL)). His thesis is titled “Neutron diffraction for deciphering […]

A meta-learning framework called RobPicker corrects annotation errors and reweights rare species, improving particle picking and 3D density map resolution in cryo-electron tomography.

Corinne LEPETIT conducted her CIFRE doctoral research, titled “Development of New Multivalent Antimicrobial Glycoconjugates” under the co-supervision of Sébastien Fort (CNRS Research Director), Emeline Richard-Millot (CNRS Research Engineer), and Antoine Rousseau (Technical Director for AIS Biotech). Oligosaccharides present on cell surfaces play numerous biological roles and may, for instance, serve as receptors for various pathogens. […]

This EMBO Practical Course will cover the use of small-angle scattering (SAS) of both neutrons and X-rays for the determination of the structures of biological macromolecules and assemblies in soluti…

Read the full paper: Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2-directed enhancement of gene delivery using a nanobody-engineered recombinant adeno-associated virus for bispecific T-cell engager-mediated T-cell cytotoxicity in triple-negative breast cancer cells

YouTube video by the bumbling biochemist

Palig Karaminassian conducted her doctoral research at Cermav under the co-supervision of Marie Couturier, CNRS Research Scientist, and Annabelle Varrot, CNRS Research Director. Palig’s work is titled “Discovering the CAZymes of the Mycobiota: From Screening to Characterization.”It was carried out as part of the “CAZyMYC” project, led by Marie Couturier and funded by the French […]

Project starting date: 4th January 2027 Project duration: 24 months fixed term

Oxidative stress is a hallmark of aging and a key driver of neurodegenerative diseases. While much attention has been given to oxidative damage of macromolecules, the functional consequences of oxidiz...

Abstract. Electron radiation damage hinders the high-resolution cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) imaging of macromolecules. In this wo

We identify RBM15, a core m6A methyltransferase component, as a key regulator of macrophage phagocytosis in PDAC.

International journal of biological macromolecules · He YQ, Huang F, Zhang JM, Cao WK, Song JX, Zhang XC, Li DJ, Shen FM, Zhou CC.