Large-scale shape changes in proteins and macromolecular complexes.
Proteins and RNA undergo intricate motions as they carry out functions in biological systems. These motions frequently entail large-scale conformational changes that induce changes in the surface structure, or shape, of a molecule. This review describes the experimental characterization of large-scale shape changes in proteins and macromolecular complexes and the effects of such changes on macromolecular behavior. We describe several important results that have been obtained by using small-angle scattering, which is emerging as a powerful technique for determining macromolecular shapes and elucidating the quaternary structure of macromolecular assemblies.
Wall
M E
ME
Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA. mewall@lanl.gov
Gallagher
S C
SC
Trewhella
J
J
D000818:Animals; D003461:Crystallography; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011506:Proteins