Physical methods for structure, dynamics and binding in immunological research

We present four experimental physical methods – X-ray and neutron diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and calorimetry – and two computational methods – molecular dynamics simulations and electrostatics calculations – which are general and widely applicable in the study of protein structure, dynamics and binding. These methods are useful tools for biologists that lead to structure–function, dynamics–function and binding–function correlations, in efforts to understand biomolecular function. Standard and emerging technologies within these methods are discussed and representative examples of applications in immunology are presented, from antigen–antibody, complement and MHC–T-cell receptor research. The examples demonstrate the power of the reviewed methods in immunological studies at the molecular level.