Fluorescent Biosensors for Cryogenic Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Cryogenic electron tomography provides nanometer-scale views of subcellular structures but lacks essential physiological context, such as the metabolic state or ion concentration. To bridge this gap, we incorporated fluorescent biosensors into a cryogenic correlative light and electron microscopy workflow, enabling direct measurement of physiological conditions alongside structural data. Here, we focused on establishing and calibrating biosensors for calcium, pH, and osmotic stress at cryogenic conditions through an in vitro workflow in which biosensors were frozen in defined chemical environments and then imaged ratiometrically. We then applied these biosensors across a range of sample types: an osmotic stress sensor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a calcium sensor in human U2OS cells, and a pH sensor in the bacterium Halothiobacillus neapolitanus. This approach links localized physiological changes to the 3D structures of macromolecules and their organization in situ.