The structure of the detergent in crystals of outer membrane phospholipase A (OMPLA) has been determined using neutron diffraction contrast variation. Large crystals were soaked in stabilising solutions, each containing a different H(2)O/D(2)O contrast. From the neutron diffraction at five contrasts, the 12 A resolution structure of the detergent micelle around the protein molecule was determin...

In membrane protein biochemical and structural studies, detergents are used to mimic membrane environment and maintain functional, stable conformation of membrane proteins in the absence of lipid bilayers. However, detergent concentration, esp. molar ratio of membrane protein to detergent is usually unknown. Here, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry selected ion monitoring (GC-MS-SIM) method...

Structural studies of membrane proteins have highlighted the likely influence of membrane mimetic environments (i.e., lipid bilayers versus detergent micelles) on the conformation and dynamics of small α-helical membrane proteins. We have used molecular dynamics simulations to compare the conformational dynamics of BM2 (a small α-helical protein from the membrane of influenza B) in a model phos...