Zooming in on host-symbiont interactions: advances in cryo-EM sample processing methods and future application to symbiotic tissues

Abstract Animals, plants, and fungi live in a microbe-dominated world. Investigating the interactions processes at host-microbe interface offers insight to how bacteria influence development, health, disease of host. Optimization existing imaging technologies development novel instrumentation will provide tools needed fully understand dynamic relationship that occurs throughout lifetime In this review, we describe current methods used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) including cryo-fixation, sample processing, FIB-SEM, cryotomography. Further, highlight new advances associated with these open cryo-EM discipline large, complex multicellular samples, like symbiotic tissues. We advantages challenges correlative techniques thinning lift-out. By highlighting recent pioneering studies large-volume or workflows, into model systems benefit from artefact-free, near-native, macromolecular-scale resolution maintenance symbiosis. Cryo-EM have brought deep fundamental understanding prokaryotic biology since its conception. propose application is logical next step bring an even greater microbes interact their host