Guest Editors
Diego Fernando Nieto Giraldo
Universidad de Caldas
Diego Fernando Nieto-Giraldo, M.Sc., is a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at “Universidad de Caldas” (Manizales, Colombia). He specializes in membrane protein biophysics, with a focus on aquaporins and water transport mechanisms. His research integrates theoretical and computational chemistry, particularly molecular dynamics simulations, to investigate the structural and functional behavior of membrane proteins under diverse environmental and biophysical conditions, including magnetic fields. He also contributes to the university’s bioinformatics and theoretical chemistry research group (QTB). His current interests include advancing reproducible computational protocols for membrane protein studies and establishing collaborations to expand high-performance computing applications in molecular simulation.
Edwin David Morales Álvarez
University of Caldas; Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology of Colombia
Edwin David Morales Álvarez is a chemist with an MSc in Biomedical Sciences (Biochemistry) and a PhD in biological sciences (molecular biotechnology). He is an experienced researcher and professor at Colombian higher education institutions, with nearly 20 years of expertise in biochemistry, molecular biology, and biotechnology. His work centers on genetic engineering approaches for the production of recombinant proteins for biotechnological applications, as well as the development and implementation of molecular diagnostic protocols.He currently leads the Theoretical Chemistry and Bioinformatics Research Group (QTB; MinCiencias Category A) and serves as sub-leader of the Genetics, Biodiversity, and Ecosystem Management Research Group (GEBIOME; MinCiencias Category A1) at the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Caldas. He previously served for nearly three years as scientific director of the Departmental Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory of Caldas, overseeing pathogen detection for public health, genomic surveillance, and studies of vaccine efficacy and immunogenicity. He is currently head of the Biotechnology Division at BIOS.
German Ariel Lopez Gartner
Universidad de Caldas
German Lopez is a full professor at the Universidad de Caldas in Colombia. His research focuses on molecular and cell biology, with particular emphasis on genetics and biodiversity across diverse species. Throughout his academic career, he has worked across multiple disciplines, including tropical diseases, human genetics, plant genetics, and basic bioinformatics.Professor Lopez has played a key role in establishing and strengthening molecular biology research at his institution, with a strong commitment to science education in cell and molecular biology. His research contributions include the use of molecular markers for biodiversity studies, coffee genomics to support plant breeding programs, and fungal genomics aimed at identifying potential medical applications.
José Mauricio Rodas Rodríguez
Universidad de Caldas
José Mauricio Rodas Rodríguez holds a master’s degree in materials and solid-state chemistry and is a PhD candidate in theoretical and computational chemistry. He is an accomplished scientist and educator specializing in bioinorganic chemistry, with a strong focus on the role of essential elements in biological systems and dose–response relationships. He has extensive experience in teaching and academic course design, combining rigorous chemical knowledge with clear, engaging pedagogy, and his work reflects a deep interest in connecting fundamental inorganic chemistry with real biological and biomedical applications, as well as a strong commitment to scientific rigor, critical thinking, and high-quality education.
Collection Overview
Membrane proteins are critical for transport, signaling, and energy transduction, representing approximately 60% of pharmaceutical targets. Furthermore, their hydrophobicity, conformational plasticity, and reliance on lipid environments render them complex subjects for study. Recent methodological advances now enable their investigation across multiple scales. This Methods Collection provides a comprehensive array of experimental and computational approaches designed to probe membrane proteins within biologically relevant environments, supporting applications in multiple fields of study.
Experimental contributions may include protocols for membrane isolation, solubilization and stabilization using detergents, polymers, or nanodiscs, and purification across various expression systems. Methods for determining membrane insertion and topology include glycosylation-based reporters (Lep and CLTM systems), dual reporter fusions (PhoA/LacZ, gGFP), and protease-protection assays. Functional characterization encompasses electrophysiology, transport assays in proteoliposomes, reconstitution protocols, and fluorescence-based approaches (FRET, TIRF, single-molecule techniques). Structural and biophysical techniques include cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, NMR, spectroscopy, optical tweezers, and atomic force microscopy for elucidating conformational dynamics and membrane mechanics.
Computational methodologies, such as molecular dynamics simulations, enhanced sampling, membrane modeling, automated analysis pipelines, and machine learning, complement experimental strategies by revealing otherwise inaccessible atomistic details. By integrating these perspectives across in vitro, in vivo, and in silico platforms, this collection offers a versatile methodological resource reflecting the interdisciplinary landscape of contemporary membrane protein research.
Articles
Abstracts
Fluorescein isothiocyanate labeling of Na+, K+-ATPase as a tool for testing ligand binding to the nucleotide binding site
Jose G Sampedro*1,
Joselin I Ramirez-Alonso1
1Instituto de Física, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, México