Dynamics And Kinetics In Structural Biology – Unravelling Function Through Time-Resolved Structural Analysis

Structural biology seeks to understand the chemical mechanisms and functions of biological molecules, such as proteins, based on their atomic structures. Until recently, these structures have been studied only statically, using procedures which deliberately freeze atomic motion. However, freezing eliminates the rapid structural motions so essential to biological activity and function; the molecules are inactive. But with the recent development of X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) sources, efforts to conduct dynamic experiments have expanded using the principles of dynamics and kinetics to capture active biological molecules as they function.