Membrane proteins shape up: understanding in vitro folding
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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Thermodynamics of Membrane Protein Folding Measured by Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Published on: April 28, 2011
1Department of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK. paula.booth@bristol.ac.uk
Abstract:
Progress in structural biology has begun to reveal the precise architecture of integral membrane proteins. However, the manner in which these complex structures are achieved remains unclear. Recent developments are starting to shed light on the unfolding and folding of a small but growing number of membrane proteins. Mechanistic details derived from kinetic and thermodynamic experiments now enable comparison of the folding of different membrane proteins and their water-soluble cousins. This work also has important implications for other structural and functional studies of membrane proteins in vitro.
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