Team develops new tool for studying membrane protein structure using water dynamics on surface of biomolecules
Monday, September 30, 2013 - 15:30
in Biology & Nature
Membrane proteins are responsible for transporting chemicals and messages between a cell and its environment. But determining their structure has proved challenging for scientists. A study by UC Santa Barbara's Han Research Group demonstrates a new tool to resolve the structure of membrane-embedded and membrane-associating proteins using the water dynamics gradient they found across and above the lipid bilayer as a unique ruler.