Plant structural biology: A knowledge gap with a window of opportunity
TL;DR
It is argued that the major challenge is shifting from obtaining structures to understanding their mechanisms, dynamics, and integration within native cellular and physiological contexts, and AI-based modelling offers substantial opportunities, but experimental validation remains essential.
Abstract
Plant proteins remain underrepresented in structural databases, reflecting historical research priorities and technical limitations rather than lower biological complexity. Recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), in-cell solid-state NMR, and artificial intelligence (AI)-based modelling are narrowing this gap and enabling structural analysis of previously inaccessible plant molecular assemblies. In this note, we highlight advances in five systems: photoreceptors, photosystem II, the TOC–TIC chloroplast protein-import complex, the plant 80S ribosome, and plastid ESCRT-III-type machinery. Together, these examples illustrate a methodological transition in plant structural biology. We argue that the major challenge is shifting from obtaining structures to understanding their mechanisms, dynamics, and integration within native cellular and physiological contexts. AI-based modelling offers substantial opportunities, but experimental validation remains essential.