Solution NMR goes big: Atomic resolution studies of protein components of molecular machines and phase-separated condensates

Alexander I M Sever; Rashik Ahmed; Philip Rößler; Lewis E Kay

doi:10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102976

Solution NMR goes big: Atomic resolution studies of protein components of molecular machines and phase-separated condensates

Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2025 Jan 20:90:102976. doi: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102976. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Alexander I M Sever¹, Rashik Ahmed², Philip Rößler², Lewis E Kay³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3H6, Canada; Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.
² Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3H6, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.
³ Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3H6, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada; Program in Molecular Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39837113
DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102976

Abstract

The tools of structural biology have undergone remarkable advances in the past decade. These include new computational and experimental approaches that have enabled studies at a level of detail - and ease - that were not previously possible. Yet, significant deficiencies in our understanding of biomolecular function remain and new challenges must be overcome to go beyond static pictures towards a description of function in terms of structural dynamics. Solution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has emerged as a powerful technique for atomic resolution studies of the dynamics of a wide range of biomolecules, including molecular machines and the components of phase-separated condensates. Here we highlight some of the very recent advances in these areas that have been driven by NMR.

Keywords: Methyl-TROSY; Molecular machines; Phase separation; Protein structural dynamics; Solution NMR spectroscopy.

Publication types

Review