electron microscopy (TEM) was performed by applying a drop (3 μL)
of sample to a glow-discharged TEM grid (carbon-supported film on
300-mesh Cu grids, Ted Pella, Ltd.). After 30 s the excess liquid
was blotted, and the grids were stained with 2% uranyl acetate for
30 s and allowed to dry in air. Imaging was carried out using a FEI
Tecnai 12 G2 Twin TEM operated at 120 kV. The images were recorded
by a 4Kx4K FEI Eagle CCD camera using the TIA software. Direct imaging
of samples by cryo-TEM was performed as described elsewhere.39 A 3 μL sample was applied onto a glow-discharged
300-mesh copper TEM grid coated with a holey carbon film (Lacey substrate,
Ted Pella, Ltd.). The excess liquid was blotted and the specimens
were vitrified by rapid plunging into liquid ethane precooled by liquid
nitrogen using a Vitrobot Mark IV (FEI). We then transferred the vitrified
samples into a cryo specimen holder (Gatan model 626; Gatan Inc.)
and imaged them at −177 °C using a Tecnai 12 G2 Twin TEM
(FEI), operated at an acceleration voltage of 120 kV in low-dose mode.
Images were recorded with a 4Kx4K FEI Eagle CCD camera. TIA (Tecnai
Imaging & Analysis) software was used to record the images.