Choosing the optimal spectroscopic toolkit to understand protein function

Michael A Hough

doi:10.1042/BSR20160378

Choosing the optimal spectroscopic toolkit to understand protein function

Biosci Rep. 2017 Jun 8;37(3):BSR20160378. doi: 10.1042/BSR20160378. Print 2017 Jun 30.

Author

Michael A Hough¹

Affiliation

¹ School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, CO7 6SR, U.K. mahough@essex.ac.uk.

Abstract

Spectroscopy was one of the earliest methods used to study the properties and reactions of proteins, and remains one of the most powerful and widely used approaches to this day. A sometimes bewildering range of spectroscopies is now available, applicable to different sample states, timescales and indeed biological questions. This editorial describes some of the most relevant spectroscopic methods together with a selection of illustrative examples.

Keywords: Combined methods; EPR spectroscopy; NMR spectroscopy; Protein spectroscopy; Time-resolved spectroscopy; structural biology.

Publication types

Editorial

MeSH terms

Protein Conformation
Proteins / chemistry*
Spectrum Analysis / methods*
Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

Proteins