A new and promising tool in membrane research is the detergent-free solubilization of
membrane proteins by styrene–maleic acid copolymers (SMAs). These amphipathic …

Over the last several decades, an impressive array of advanced microscopic and analytical
tools, such as single-particle tracking and nanoscopic fluorescence correlation …

Despite the great progress recently made in resolving their structures, investigation of the
structural biology of membrane proteins still presents major challenges. Even with new …

A recent discovery in membrane research is the ability of styrene-maleic acid (SMA)
copolymers to solubilize membranes in the form of nanodisks allowing extraction and …

Ligand-gated ion channels mediate signal transduction at chemical synapses and transition
between resting, open, and desensitized states in response to neurotransmitter binding …

ABC (ATP-binding-cassette) transporters carry out many vital functions and are involved in
numerous diseases, but study of the structure and function of these proteins is often …

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest class of membrane proteins and
are a major drug target. A serious obstacle to studying GPCR structure/function …

The styrene-maleic acid (SMA) copolymer is rapidly gaining attention as a tool in membrane
research, due to its ability to directly solubilize lipid membranes into nanodisk particles …

SMA-Lipodisq nanoparticles, with one bacteriorhodopsin (bR) per 12 nm particle on
average (protein/lipid molar ratio, 1: 172), were prepared without the use of detergents …

Integral membrane proteins often present daunting challenges for biophysical
characterization, a fundamental issue being how to select a surfactant that will optimally …