Abstract

In order to understand protein function, the field of structural biology makes extensive use of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), a technique that enables structure determination at atomic resolution following embedding of protein particles in vitreous ice. Considering the profound effects of temperature on macromolecule function, an important—but often neglected-question is how the frozen particles relate to the actual protein conformations at physiological temperatures. In a recent study, Hu et al. compare structures of the cation channel TRPM4 “frozen” at 4 °C versus 37 °C, revealing how temperature critically affects the binding of activating Ca2+ ions and other channel modulators.

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