Mark Sansom Ion Channels and Membrane Transport Proteins Introduction Integral membrane proteins account for ca. They are responsible for a diversity of functions, including signalling and transport across membranes. Recent advances in membrane protein crystallography have significantly enhanced our knowledge of membrane protein structures. However, to understand the relationship between structures and biological functions, it is necessary to characterise the dynamics of membrane proteins in the complex, anisotropic environment provided by a lipid bilayer.
Ion channels mediate electrical excitability in neurons and muscle.
In addition to simulation studies of a number of ion channels, we are also interested in applying these, and related, computational approaches to other membrane proteins, including a number of transporters, both bacterial and mammalian.