Structural basis for recognition of diubiquitins by NEMO

In this paper it is shown that light scattering helps enormously in determining the size/composition of the protein complex. Because the protein is not globular, it elutes earlier than it should using gel filtration. Many papers have shown that this protein forms a trimer by gel filtration and sedimentation. But this new paper proves by light scattering and x-ray crystallography that it is actually a dimer. Light scattering is shown, therefore, to be the most reliable method to determine the size of proteins in solution.

Lo, Y.C.; Lin, S. C.; Rospigliosi, C. C.; Conze, D. B.; Wu, C. J.; Ashwell, J. D.; Eliezer, D.; Wu, H. Molecular Cell  2009, 33, 602-615. DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2009.01.012