Research Devises Protocol for Measuring Distances within Biomolecules
Published:20 Sep.2018 Source:Nanowerk
Architects cannot build a house without the proper dimensions of the foundation. Likewise, scientists cannot develop targeted drug therapies without first measuring the surfaces of biomolecules such as proteins, RNA or DNA.
The best practice for gathering these measurements is contested in the fields of biophysics and structural biology because scientists prefer different, personalized methods that often yield a variety of results for one given biomolecule. A team of 27 labs across the world have developed a standardized protocol for Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), arguably one of the most precise methods of measuring distances within biomolecules.