An automated data processing and analysis pipeline for transmembrane proteins in detergent solutions

D. Molodenskiy; H. Mertens; D. Svergun

At present the majority of investigators studying MPs utilize readily available and inexpensive surfactant systems or detergents (small amphiphilic molecules) (6, 8) . However, a common problem observed is the destabilization of protein structure following exposure to detergent molecules (11, 12) . Fortunately, the development of milder detergents and detergent stabilized bilayer systems (bicelles) has helped to overcome this problem (7, 8, 13, 14) . Importantly, the solution behaviour of many commercially available detergents has been well characterised using a range of techniques, including small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) (15) . Micellar solutions of such detergents have been shown to adopt characteristic sizes, which can be reliably separated from detergent-protein complexes of interest using chromatographic techniques, eg. high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).