Frontiers in integrative structural modeling of macromolecular assemblies

Integrative modeling enables structure determination for large macromolecular assemblies by combining data from multiple experiments with theoretical and computational predictions. Recent advancements in AI-based structure prediction and cryo electron-microscopy have sparked renewed enthusiasm for integrative modeling; structures from AI-based methods can be integrated with in situ maps to characterize large assemblies. This approach previously allowed us and others to determine the architectures of diverse macromolecular assemblies, such as nuclear pore complexes, chromatin remodelers, and cell-cell junctions. Experimental data spanning several scales was used in these studies, ranging from high-resolution data, such as X-ray crystallography and AlphaFold structure, to low-resolution data, such as cryo-electron tomography maps and data from co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Two recurrent modeling challenges emerged across a range of studies. First, these assemblies contained significant fractions of disordered regions, necessitating the development of new methods for modeling disordered regions in the context of ordered regions. Second, methods needed to be developed to utilize the information from cryo-electron tomography, a timely challenge as structural biology is increasingly moving towards in situ characterization. Here, we recapitulate recent developments in the modeling of disordered proteins and the analysis of cryo-electron tomography data and highlight other opportunities for method development in the context of integrative modeling.