Protein-protein interactions: a supra-structural phenomenon demanding trans-disciplinary biophysical approaches.
Responsive formation of protein:protein interaction (PPI) upon diverse stimuli is a fundament of cellular function. As a consequence, PPIs are complex, adaptive entities, and exist in structurally heterogeneous interplays defined by the energetic states of the free and complexed protomers. The biophysical and structural investigations of PPIs consequently demand hybrid approaches, implementing orthogonal methods and strategies for global data analysis. Currently, impressive developments in hardware and software within several methodologies define a new era for the biostructural community. Data can be obtained at increasing resolution, at relevant time-scales and under increasingly relevant experimental conditions, intricate data are interpreted reliably, and the questions posed and answered grow in complexity. With this review, highlights from the study of PPIs using a multitude of biophysical methods, are reported. The aim is to depict how the elucidation of the interplay of structures requires the interplay of methods.
School of Life Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK. Electronic address: olwyn.byron@glasgow.ac.uk.
Olwyn
O
Byron
Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: bente.vestergaard@sund.ku.dk.
Bente
B
Vestergaard
D000494:Allosteric Regulation; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods*; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
D011506:Proteins