Natural supramolecular protein assemblies.
Supramolecular protein assemblies are an emerging area within the chemical sciences, which combine the topological structures of the field of supramolecular chemistry and the state-of-the-art chemical biology approaches to unravel the formation and function of protein assemblies. Recent chemical and biological studies on natural multimeric protein structures, including fibers, rings, tubes, catenanes, knots, and cages, have shown that the quaternary structures of proteins are a prerequisite for their highly specific biological functions. In this review, we illustrate that a striking structural diversity of protein assemblies is present in nature. Furthermore, we describe structure-function relationship studies for selected classes of protein architectures, and we highlight the techniques that enable the characterisation of supramolecular protein structures.
Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands. j.mecinovic@science.ru.nl.
Bas J G E
BJ
Pieters
Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
Mark B
MB
van Eldijk
Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands. j.mecinovic@science.ru.nl.
Roeland J M
RJ
Nolte
Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands. j.mecinovic@science.ru.nl.
Jasmin
J
Mecinović
D000818:Animals; D001688:Biological Products / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry
D001688:Biological Products; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes