title: Common conventions for interchange and archiving of three-dimensional electron microscopy information in structural biology.
abstract: Three-dimensional electron microscopy (3DEM) has made significant contributions to structural biology. To accomplish this feat, many image-processing software packages were developed by various laboratories. The independent development of methods naturally implied the adoption of dissimilar conventions-penalizing users who want to take advantage of the wealth of algorithms from different packages. In addition, a public repository of 3DEM research results, the EM Data Bank, is now established. In an era where information exchange is important, standardizing conventions is a necessity. The 3DEM field requires a consistent set of conventions. We propose a set of common conventions named the "3DEM Image Conventions." They are designed as a standardized approach to image interpretation and presentation. In this regard, the conventions serve as a first step on which to build data-exchange solutions among existing software packages and as a vehicle for homogenous data representation in data archives, such as the EM Data Bank.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Structural Biology Research, National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: J Bernard
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Heymann
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chagoyen
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Belnap
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001109:Archives; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D016208:Databases, Factual; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000592:standards*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008967:Molecular Biology; D012984:Software