Merging of image data in electron crystallography

Electron crystallography of membrane proteins uses cryo-transmission electron microscopy to record images and diffraction patterns of frozen-hydrated 2D crystals. Each two-dimensional (2D) crystal is only imaged once, at one specific tilt angle, and the recorded images can be automatically processed with the 2dx/MRC software package. Processed image data from non-tilted and tilted 2D crystals then need to be merged into a 3D reconstruction of the membrane protein structure. We here describe the process of the 3D merging, using the 2dx software system.