Probing Structural Dynamics of Membrane Proteins Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Techniques

Biophysica

Gary A. Lorigan¹  Indra D. Sahu² 

[1] Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA;Natural Science Division, Campbellsville University, Campbellsville, KY 42718, USA;

关键词: embrane protein;    electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR);    site-directed spin labeling (SDSL);    double electron electron resonance (DEER);    structural topology and dynamics;   

DOI  :  10.3390/biophysica1020009

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Membrane proteins are essential for the survival of living organisms. They are involved in important biological functions including transportation of ions and molecules across the cell membrane and triggering the signaling pathways. They are targets of more than half of the modern medical drugs. Despite their biological significance, information about the structural dynamics of membrane proteins is lagging when compared to that of globular proteins. The major challenges with these systems are low expression yields and lack of appropriate solubilizing medium required for biophysical techniques. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy coupled with site directed spin labeling (SDSL) is a rapidly growing powerful biophysical technique that can be used to obtain pertinent structural and dynamic information on membrane proteins. In this brief review, we will focus on the overview of the widely used EPR approaches and their emerging applications to answer structural and conformational dynamics related questions on important membrane protein systems.

【 授权许可】

Unknown