CW EPR and DEER Methods to Determine BCL-2 Family Protein Structure and Interactions: Application of Site-Directed Spin Labeling to BAK Apoptotic Pores

Abstract

The continuous wave (CW) and pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) methods enable the measurement of distances between spin-labeled residues in biopolymers including proteins, providing structural information. Here we describe the CW EPR deconvolution/convolution method and the four-pulse double electron–electron resonance (DEER) approach for distance determination, which were applied to elucidate the organization of the BAK apoptotic pores formed in the lipid bilayers.