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A guide to time‐resolved structural analysis of light‐activated proteins
Author(s) -
Poddar Harshwardhan,
Heyes Derren J.,
Schirò Giorgio,
Weik Martin,
Leys David,
Scrutton Nigel S.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
the febs journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.981
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1742-4658
pISSN - 1742-464X
DOI - 10.1111/febs.15880
Subject(s) - femtosecond , structural change , protein dynamics , light scattering , chromophore , scattering , chemistry , structural biology , chemical physics , biological system , protein structure , laser , nanotechnology , optics , materials science , physics , photochemistry , biology , biochemistry , economics , macroeconomics
Dynamical changes in protein structures are essential for protein function and occur over femtoseconds to seconds timescales. X‐ray free electron lasers have facilitated investigations of structural dynamics in proteins with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution. Light‐activated proteins are attractive targets for time‐resolved structural studies, as the reaction chemistry and associated protein structural changes can be triggered by short laser pulses. Proteins with different light‐absorbing centres have evolved to detect light and harness photon energy to bring about downstream chemical and biological output responses. Following light absorption, rapid chemical/small‐scale structural changes are typically localised around the chromophore. These localised changes are followed by larger structural changes propagated throughout the photoreceptor/photocatalyst that enables the desired chemical and/or biological output response. Time‐resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) and solution scattering techniques enable direct visualisation of early chemical change in light‐activated proteins on timescales previously inaccessible, whereas scattering gives access to slower timescales associated with more global structural change. Here, we review how advances in time‐resolved SFX and solution scattering techniques have uncovered mechanisms of photochemistry and its coupling to output responses. We also provide a prospective on how these time‐resolved structural approaches might impact on other photoreceptors/photoenzymes that have not yet been studied by these methods.