Tools for membrane protein analysis in solution

Even though membrane proteins are fascinating and biologically important, they are also technically very challenging to study when inserted into carrier-systems such as lipid vesicles, nanodiscs, or detergent micelles. In collaboration with the BioNano-Science Group at the Faculty of Life Sciences we are developing procedures and strategies for studying membrane proteins and their complexes in solution.

 

The approach utilizes differential labeling of lipids and membrane protein complex with deuterium and subsequent data collection using a neutron source (small angle neutron scattering) in solvents having different H₂O/D₂O ratio.