Analysis of biostructural changes, dynamics, and interactions - Small-angle X-ray scattering to the rescue

Abstract

Solution small angle X-ray scattering from biological macromolecules (BioSAXS) plays an increasingly important role in biostructural research. The analysis of complex protein mixtures, dynamic equilibriums, intrinsic disorder and evolving structural processes is facilitated by SAXS data, either in stand-alone applications, or with SAXS taking a prominent role in hybrid biostructural analysis. This is not the least due to the significant advances in both hardware and software that have taken place in particular at the large-scale facilities. Here, recent developments and the future potential of BioSAXS are reviewed, exemplified by numerous examples of elegant applications to challenging systems.

Keywords: Advanced sample environments; Complex structural analysis; Hybrid biostructural analysis; Intrinsically disordered proteins; Small angle X-ray scattering.