Journal article
Membrane protein dynamics studied by X-ray lasers - or why only time will tell.
- Standfuss J Division of Biology and Chemistry - Laboratory for Biomolecular Research, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland.
- 2019-03-13
Published in:
- Current opinion in structural biology. - 2019
English
Membrane proteins are the gatekeepers of cellular membranes where they act as enzymes, transporters, signaling receptors, or in energy conversion. Traditionally seen as a difficult field, the last decade has brought dramatic progress to membrane protein structural biology. Here, I describe recent advances in studying the conformational dynamics of membrane proteins by X-ray free electron lasers. By integrating sample efficient high viscosity injectors into pump probe setups, it has become possible to determine whole series of structural snapshots by time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography and assemble them to molecular movies of proteins in action. According to the current studies on bacteriorhodopsin, photosystem II and nitric oxide reductase, I outline the technical challenges as well as new possibilities to study membrane protein function.
- Language
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- English
- Open access status
- hybrid
- Identifiers
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- DOI 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.02.001
- PMID 30861431
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/278556
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