- Email: [email protected]
3rd International conference on structure, dynamics and function of proteins in biological membranes
Journal of
Structural Biology Journal of Structural Biology 159 (2007) 165 www.elsevier.com/locate/yjsbi
Editorial
3rd International conference on structure, dynamics and function of proteins in biological membranes
Biological membranes enclose and compartmentalize cells of all organisms and act as effective insulators and selective filters. They are composed mainly of a phospholipid bilayer and house particular proteins or protein complexes, which are encoded by 20–30% of all genes. Executing a large number of functions in energy conversion, solute transport, and signaling, membrane proteins are of vital importance for the survival of single cells and entire organisms. They play key roles in health and disease and constitute 70% of current drug targets. Recent success in determining the atomic structure of integral membrane proteins rests on improvements in many areas of experimental research. The availability of so many genome sequences together with efficient cloning and expression methods allows large-scale screening for finding the most ‘well-behaved’ candidates for biophysical studies among many functional homologs. The accumulated know-how in the solubilization, characterization, handling, and crystallization of purified membrane proteins is certainly another important factor. Significant advances in the three major structure determination methods, X-ray and electron
crystallography and in particular NMR spectroscopy, also contribute an important share to this overall spectacular progress. This special issue emerged from contributions presented at the 3rd International Conference on Structure, Dynamics and Function of Proteins in Biological Membranes held at the Monte Verita`, Ascona, Switzerland, on May 14–19, 2006. Major topics concerned the large-scale expression of membrane proteins, improving their stability for structural analyses by different approaches, the structural framework of electron and solute transport, native membrane protein structure, channel structure and function, and progress in methods. Original papers from leading scientists discussing these aspects are collected in this special issue, providing an inspiring overview of recent activities in the field. Andreas Engel * Fritz K. Winkler Maurice E. Mueller Institute, University of Basel, Biozentrum, Klingelberstr. 70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland E-mail address: [email protected] (Andreas Engel)
*
1047-8477/$ - see front matter Ó 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jsb.2007.07.003
Corresponding author. Fax: +41 61 267 2109.
Structural Biology Journal of Structural Biology 159 (2007) 165 www.elsevier.com/locate/yjsbi
Editorial
3rd International conference on structure, dynamics and function of proteins in biological membranes
Biological membranes enclose and compartmentalize cells of all organisms and act as effective insulators and selective filters. They are composed mainly of a phospholipid bilayer and house particular proteins or protein complexes, which are encoded by 20–30% of all genes. Executing a large number of functions in energy conversion, solute transport, and signaling, membrane proteins are of vital importance for the survival of single cells and entire organisms. They play key roles in health and disease and constitute 70% of current drug targets. Recent success in determining the atomic structure of integral membrane proteins rests on improvements in many areas of experimental research. The availability of so many genome sequences together with efficient cloning and expression methods allows large-scale screening for finding the most ‘well-behaved’ candidates for biophysical studies among many functional homologs. The accumulated know-how in the solubilization, characterization, handling, and crystallization of purified membrane proteins is certainly another important factor. Significant advances in the three major structure determination methods, X-ray and electron
crystallography and in particular NMR spectroscopy, also contribute an important share to this overall spectacular progress. This special issue emerged from contributions presented at the 3rd International Conference on Structure, Dynamics and Function of Proteins in Biological Membranes held at the Monte Verita`, Ascona, Switzerland, on May 14–19, 2006. Major topics concerned the large-scale expression of membrane proteins, improving their stability for structural analyses by different approaches, the structural framework of electron and solute transport, native membrane protein structure, channel structure and function, and progress in methods. Original papers from leading scientists discussing these aspects are collected in this special issue, providing an inspiring overview of recent activities in the field. Andreas Engel * Fritz K. Winkler Maurice E. Mueller Institute, University of Basel, Biozentrum, Klingelberstr. 70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland E-mail address: [email protected] (Andreas Engel)
*
1047-8477/$ - see front matter Ó 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jsb.2007.07.003
Corresponding author. Fax: +41 61 267 2109.