Next generation technologies for protein structure determination: challenges and breakthroughs in plant biology applications

Abstract

Advancements in structural biology have significantly deepened our understanding of plant proteins, which are central to critical biological functions such as photosynthesis, metabolism, signal transduction, and structural architechture. Gaining insights into their structures is crucial for unraveling their functions and mechanisms, which in turn has profound implications for agriculture, biotechnology, and environmental sustainability. Traditional methods in protein structural biology often fall short in addressing large protein assemblies and membrane proteins, and, in particular the dynamics and structural features of proteins in the native cellular context. This paper explores how next-generation technologies are transforming the field of plant protein structural biology, offering powerful tools to overcome longstanding obstacles and enabling remarkable scientific breakthroughs. Key technologies discussed include advanced X-ray crystallography, Cryo-Electron microscopy, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, Cross-linking mass spectrometry, and Artificial Intelligence-driven approaches. These technologies are examined in terms of their challenges, innovations, and application with particular emphasis on their relevance to plant systems. Future directions in plant protein structural biology are also discussed. Although technical details are not covered in depth, readers are referred to the primary literature for more comprehensive information.