Leipzig University

4 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Biology

MRM Microcoil Performance Calibration and Usage Demonstrated on Medicago truncatula Roots at 22 T

Remco van Schadewijk¹, Julia R. Krug^2,3,4, Andrew Webb⁵, Henk Van As^2,4, Aldrik H. Velders^3,4, Huub J. M. de Groot¹, A. Alia^1,6

¹Solid-state NMR, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Leiden University, ²Laboratory of Biophysics, Wageningen University & Research, ³Laboratory of BioNanoTechnology, Wageningen University & Research, ⁴MAGNEtic resonance Facility, Wageningen University & Research, ⁵C.J. Gorter Center for High Field MRI, Radiology department, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden University, ⁶Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University

A protocol to study biological tissue at high spatial resolution using ultra-high field magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) using microcoils is presented. Step-by-step instructions are provided for characterizing the microcoils. Finally, optimization of imaging is demonstrated on plant roots.

Biochemistry

Crystallization and Structural Determination of an Enzyme:Substrate Complex by Serial Crystallography in a Versatile Microfluidic Chip

Raphaël de Wijn^1,4, Kévin Rollet^1,2, Vincent Olieric³, Oliver Hennig², Nicola Thome¹, Camille Noûs¹, Caroline Paulus¹, Bernard Lorber¹, Heike Betat², Mario Mörl², Claude Sauter¹

¹Université de Strasbourg, Architecture et Réactivité de l’ARN, UPR 9002, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, ²Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, ³Paul Scherrer Institute, Swiss Light Source, ⁴European XFEL GmbH

A versatile microfluidic device is described that enables the crystallization of an enzyme using the counter-diffusion method, the introduction of a substrate in the crystals by soaking, and the 3D structure determination of the enzyme:substrate complex by a serial analysis of crystals inside the chip at room temperature.

Neuroscience

Neuronavigated Focalized Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Administered During Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Filip Niemann^*1, Alireza Shahbabaie^*1, Sven Paßmann¹, Steffen Riemann¹, Robert Malinowski¹, Harun Kocataş¹, Leonardo M. Caisachana Guevara^1,2, Mohamed Abdelmotaleb¹, Daria Antonenko¹, Felix Blankenburg^3,4, Rico Fischer², Gesa Hartwigsen^5,6, Shu-Chen Li^7,8, Michael A. Nitsche^9,10,11, Axel Thielscher^12,13, Dagmar Timmann¹⁴, Anna Fromm¹, Dayana Hayek¹, Ann-Kathrin Hubert¹, Andrew K. Martin^15,16, Alexander Hunold¹⁷, Agnes Flöel^*1,18, Marcus Meinzer^*1

¹Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, ²Department of Psychology, University Medicine Greifswald, ³Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, ⁴Neurocomputation and Neuroimaging Unit, Freie Universität Berlin, ⁵Wilhelm-Wundt-Institute for Psychology, Cognitive and Biological Psychology, Leipzig University, ⁶Lise Meitner Research Group Cognition and Plasticity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, ⁷Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, ⁸Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop, Technische Universität Dresden, ⁹Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, ¹⁰German Centre for Mental Health (DZPG), ¹¹Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Protestant Hospital of Bethel Foundation, University Hospital OWL, Bielefeld University, ¹²Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager and Hvidovre, ¹³Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, ¹⁴Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), Essen University Hospital, ¹⁵Department of Psychology, University of Kent, ¹⁶Kent Medway Medical School, ¹⁷Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Technische Universität Ilmenau, ¹⁸German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE Site Greifswald)

This protocol describes the method of neuronavigated electrode placement for focal, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) administered during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Environment

JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning

Anna-Maria Madaj^1,2, Yuanyuan Huang^1,2, Anne Ebeling³, Lisa Ertel^1,2, Alban Gebler^1,2, Gerd Gleixner^1,4,5, Jes Hines^1,2, Christiane Roscher^1,6, Alexandra Weigelt^1,2, Cynthia Albracht^7,8,9, Angelos Amyntas^1,10, Leonardo Bassi^1,2, Ana Elizabeth Bonato Asato^1,2, Michael Bonkowski^11,12, Maximilian Bröcher³, François Buscot^1,8, Francesca De Giorgi^1,6, Yuri Pinheiro Alves de Souza^13,14, Van Cong Doan^1,10, Walter Durka^1,15, Anna Heintz-Buschart⁷, Justus Hennecke^1,2, Markus Lange⁴, Pamela Medina-van Berkum¹⁶, Sebastian Tobias Meyer¹⁴, Sören Krawczyk^1,2, Akanksha Rai⁴, Thomas Reitz^1,8, Christian Ristok^1,2, Stefan Scheu^17,18, Michael Schloter^13,14, Stefanie Schulz¹³, Marcel Dominik Solbach¹¹, Sybille Barbara Unsicker^16,19, Nico Eisenhauer^1,2

¹German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, ²Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, ³Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, ⁴Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, ⁵Institute for Geosciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, ⁶Department Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), ⁷Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, ⁸Department Soil Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), ⁹Institute Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology, Julius Kühn-Institute, ¹⁰Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, ¹¹Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, ¹²Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, ¹³Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, ¹⁴School of Life Science, Technical University Munich - TUM, ¹⁵Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), ¹⁶Department of Biochemistry, Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, ¹⁷JFB Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, ¹⁸Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Göttingen, ¹⁹Botanical Institute, Plant-Environment-Interactions Group, Kiel University

Here we present a study established in the iDiv Ecotron, terrestrial mesocosm chambers with controlled environmental conditions above- and below-ground, to study the independent and interactive effects of plant history and soil history on ecosystem functioning of grassland communities along a plant diversity gradient.