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[Protein-analysis] Re: protein shape change detection

Dr Engelbert Buxbaum engelbert_buxbaum at hotmail.com
Fri Sep 22 08:54:02 EST 2006


Carlo Zambonelli wrote:

> CD and fluorescence give you information about secondary structure, not
> shape. I really mean shape: oval, globular, rod-like, straight, bent, etc..
> No unfolding involved in transition between different "shapes" and probably
> little 2nd structure modification.
> No, crystallography or EM are not viable options.

In that case, information on shape will be incomplete, but you may be
able to get coarse figures like for example the ratio of the eliptical
axes of a protein. In as far as conformational changes affect the
molecular hydrodynamics of a protein small angle neutron or light
scattering, analytical ultracentrifugation, gel filtration or native
electrophoresis can follow them. Full interpretation however will not be
possible without more detailed data on the endpoint-structures.


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