Detergent organisation in solutions and in crystals of membrane proteins.

The use of neutron scattering in studying the organisation of detergents in pure micelles, in protein/detergent mixed micelles and in crystals of membrane proteins, is reviewed. Small angle scattering has been used to study the size, shape and composition of pure and mixed protein/detergent micelles as well as the effects of adding small amphiphiles. The technique of contrast variation applied to single crystals is described and its application to the determination of the organization of detergent in single crystals of membrane proteins is discussed. A better understanding of protein/detergent interactions should help in producing crystals of membrane proteins more easily as well as clues to the nature of protein/lipid interactions in vivo.