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Cross-linking mass spectrometry: methods and applications in structural, molecular and systems biology

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology volume 25, pages 1000–1008 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

Over the past decade, cross-linking mass spectrometry (CLMS) has developed into a robust and flexible tool that provides medium-resolution structural information. CLMS data provide a measure of the proximity of amino acid residues and thus offer information on the folds of proteins and the topology of their complexes. Here, we highlight notable successes of this technique as well as common pipelines. Novel CLMS applications, such as in-cell cross-linking, probing conformational changes and tertiary-structure determination, are now beginning to make contributions to molecular biology and the emerging fields of structural systems biology and interactomics.

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Fig. 1: General CLMS workflow.
Fig. 2: CLMS applications.
Fig. 3: Visualization solutions for CLMS data.
Fig. 4: CLMS data acquisition and analysis workflows.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Einstein Foundation, the DFG (RA 2365/4-1) and the Wellcome Trust through a Senior Research Fellowship to J.R. (103139). The Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology is supported by core funding from the Wellcome Trust (203149).

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  1. Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Francis J. O’Reilly & Juri Rappsilber

  2. Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

    Francis J. O’Reilly & Juri Rappsilber

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O’Reilly, F.J., Rappsilber, J. Cross-linking mass spectrometry: methods and applications in structural, molecular and systems biology. Nat Struct Mol Biol 25, 1000–1008 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-018-0147-0

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