Cross-linking mass spectrometry guided structure prediction of disordered Encephalitozoon hellem proteins.

Cross-linking mass spectrometry enhances structure prediction of disordered Encephalitozoon hellem proteins with no clear homologs.

• Why it matters: Many microsporidian proteins contain disordered regions and lack homologs, making experimental and computational structural studies difficult, which hampers understanding their biology.
• What they did: Researchers integrated XL-MS data into deep-learning-based modeling to generate structures of two E. hellem spore wall proteins, Swp1b and EnP1, confirming the models with independent XL-MS data.
• The result: This approach produces models consistent with experimental constraints, extending structural predictions to proteins with limited homology and flexible regions, aiding functional characterization.