Pendant-bearing detergents: strategies and membrane protein stabilization

초록

Membrane proteins (MPs) are vital to many biological processes, making their atomic-level structures essential for drug discovery. Detergent micelles are commonly used in MP research, from extraction, purification, and structure determination. Recently, detergents featuring small pendant groups positioned at the hydrophilic–hydrophobic interface of the micelle have emerged as promising membrane mimetics. This review highlights recent developments in pendant-bearing detergents and explores the roles of pendant groups in MP stabilization. Hydrophobic or hydrophilic pendants enhance alkyl chain packing within micelle interiors through distinct mechanisms. Additionally, reactive pendants enable in situ structural modification of detergents. Pendant-bearing detergents represent valuable tools for MP structural studies and their rational design would pave the way for next-generation detergents to advance MP research.

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