Abstract
Structural biology has experienced several transformative technological advances in recent years. These include: development of extremely bright X-ray sources (microfocus synchrotron beamlines and free electron lasers) and the use of electrons to extend protein crystallography to ever decreasing crystal sizes; and an increase in the resolution attainable by cryo-electron microscopy. Here we discuss the use of these techniques in general terms and highlight their application for biological filament systems, an area that is severely underrepresented in atomic resolution structures. We assemble a model of a capped tropomyosin-actin minifilament to demonstrate the utility of combining structures determined by different techniques. Finally, we survey the methods that attempt to transform high resolution structural biology into more physiological environments, such as the cell. Together these techniques promise a compelling decade for structural biology and, more importantly, they will provide exciting discoveries in understanding the designs and purposes of biological machines.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1700213 |
| Journal | BioEssays |
| Volume | 40 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2018 |
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Keywords
- actin
- capping protein
- cryo-electron microscopy
- filaments
- ParM
- tropomodulin
- tropomyosin
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
Cite this
Advances in Structural Biology and the Application to Biological Filament Systems. / Popp, David; Koh, Fujiet; Scipion, Clement P.M.; Ghoshdastider, Umesh; Narita, Akihiro; Holmes, Kenneth C.; Robinson, Robert C.
In: BioEssays, Vol. 40, No. 4, 1700213, 04.2018.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Advances in Structural Biology and the Application to Biological Filament Systems
AU - Popp, David
AU - Koh, Fujiet
AU - Scipion, Clement P.M.
AU - Ghoshdastider, Umesh
AU - Narita, Akihiro
AU - Holmes, Kenneth C.
AU - Robinson, Robert C.
PY - 2018/4
Y1 - 2018/4
N2 - Structural biology has experienced several transformative technological advances in recent years. These include: development of extremely bright X-ray sources (microfocus synchrotron beamlines and free electron lasers) and the use of electrons to extend protein crystallography to ever decreasing crystal sizes; and an increase in the resolution attainable by cryo-electron microscopy. Here we discuss the use of these techniques in general terms and highlight their application for biological filament systems, an area that is severely underrepresented in atomic resolution structures. We assemble a model of a capped tropomyosin-actin minifilament to demonstrate the utility of combining structures determined by different techniques. Finally, we survey the methods that attempt to transform high resolution structural biology into more physiological environments, such as the cell. Together these techniques promise a compelling decade for structural biology and, more importantly, they will provide exciting discoveries in understanding the designs and purposes of biological machines.
AB - Structural biology has experienced several transformative technological advances in recent years. These include: development of extremely bright X-ray sources (microfocus synchrotron beamlines and free electron lasers) and the use of electrons to extend protein crystallography to ever decreasing crystal sizes; and an increase in the resolution attainable by cryo-electron microscopy. Here we discuss the use of these techniques in general terms and highlight their application for biological filament systems, an area that is severely underrepresented in atomic resolution structures. We assemble a model of a capped tropomyosin-actin minifilament to demonstrate the utility of combining structures determined by different techniques. Finally, we survey the methods that attempt to transform high resolution structural biology into more physiological environments, such as the cell. Together these techniques promise a compelling decade for structural biology and, more importantly, they will provide exciting discoveries in understanding the designs and purposes of biological machines.
KW - actin
KW - capping protein
KW - cryo-electron microscopy
KW - filaments
KW - ParM
KW - tropomodulin
KW - tropomyosin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042519353&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85042519353&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/bies.201700213
DO - 10.1002/bies.201700213
M3 - Article
C2 - 29484695
AN - SCOPUS:85042519353
VL - 40
JO - BioEssays
JF - BioEssays
SN - 0265-9247
IS - 4
M1 - 1700213
ER -