Investigating the Structure and Function of Microbial Proteins
A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Biophysics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 117
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Structural biology has become a powerful approach for elucidating the mechanisms underlying protein function across diverse biological systems. Over the past decade, the field has undergone remarkable advances, particularly with the development of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), which now routinely achieve near-atomic and even sub-atomic resolution. The integration of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, and cryo-ET with highly accurate three-dimensional protein structure prediction tools such as AlphaFold is transforming the landscape of structural and molecular biology. In parallel, powerful genetic technologies, including CRISPR-based genome editing, have significantly expanded our capacity to manipulate bacterial and bacteriophage genomes, enabling more precise functional studies. Together, these advances are establishing the combined analysis of protein structure and function as a central framework for understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of microorganisms. At the same time, the global rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria poses a serious threat to the effectiveness of current antimicrobial therapies. Consequently, alternative strategies, such as bacteriophage-based therapies, are gaining renewed attention as promising approaches for addressing this growing challenge.
This Special Issue will highlight recent advances in the structural and functional characterization of microbial proteins, ranging from fundamental molecular insights to applications in biotechnology and antimicrobial development. As Guest Editor, I invite the submission of original research articles and reviews on topics including the following:
- Functional studies of hypothetical proteins;
- Structural and functional analyses of proteins and protein complexes;
- Integrative approaches combining bioinformatics, structural biology, and system-level methodologies for elucidating protein function and molecular assemblies;
- Structural determination and characterization of bacteriophages;
- Structural analysis of proteins in situ, including cellular and native contexts;
- Bioinformatic and computational analyses of poorly characterized proteins;
- Identification and structural validation of protein targets for the development of novel antimicrobial strategies.
Prof. Dr. Cristiane Rodrigues Guzzo
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- structural biology
- bioinformatics
- antimicrobials
- bacteriophages
- X-ray crystallography
- cryo-EM
- cryo-ET
- NMR
- AlphaFold
- microbial proteins
- protein complexes
- multidrug-resistant bacteria
- antimicrobial targets
- CRISPR genome editing
- phage therapy
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