Biophysical methods articles from across Nature Portfolio

The organization of membrane proteins is critical to cellular function. Here the authors explore how computational protein design, MD simulation, and cell-free systems can be combined to elucidate how membrane-protein hydrophobic mismatch affects protein folding and organization in synthetic lipid membranes.

Analysing single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) enables an unprecedented view of the dynamics and kinetics of biomolecular conformational changes and interactions. In this Primer, Ha et al. discuss technological advances that have led to smFRET and how the method can be adapted to address various research questions in structural and molecular biology.

This study presents an image processing-based stage height control and optical trap dithering technique to detect protein-protein interactions. It was used to show that the MT binding rate for KIF5B has a strong spatial and motor length dependence.

Biomolecular condensates are recognized for their ability to compartmentalize the cytoplasm without bounding membranes, but the degree to which they organize the cytoplasm has not been clear. A new study reveals that condensates at a scale of 100 nm are responsible for the organization of at least 18% of the cytoplasmic proteome.

We introduce a biomimetic antigen-presenting system that uses hexapod heterostructures for specific T cell recognition at the single-molecule and single-cell levels. The system enables high-resolution T cell activation, uses magnetic forces to increase immune responses, and offers flexible and precise identification of antigen-specific T cell receptors, aiding the study of T cell recognition and immune cell mechanics.

A new study demonstrates the therapeutic potential of potassium channel gene therapy to treat epilepsy in focal cortical dysplasia.

Julio Collado-Vides recalls two 2005 publications that provide a conceptual framework based on a statistical thermodynamics approach to quantitatively model the regulatory activity at promoters subject to regulation by multiple transcription factors.

Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is best known as a building block of caveolae, flask-shaped ‘little caves’ that buffer the plasma membrane by flattening in response to mechanical stress. CAV1 is now linked to a feature of cellular topography that can respond to mechanical cues and relieve membrane tension: dolines.