What techniques can be used to study membrane protein structure?

The three main techniques that can be used to study membrane protein structure are X-ray Crystallography, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy, and Electron Microscopy. 

X-ray Crystallography involves crystallizing the membrane protein and exposing the crystalline structure to X-ray beams. After the X-rays have passed through the crystalized membrane protein, the diffraction pattern is measured to determine the structure of the membrane protein. 

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy involves placing molecules in a magnetic field and measuring the resonance properties of the various atomic nuclei. This provides information on the location of different atoms in a particular molecule, enabling researchers to determine membrane protein structure. 

Electron Microscopy involves using a high-resolution electron microscope to study membrane proteins that are frozen in their natural lipid environments. The rapid freezing of the sample allows researchers to visualize the natural conformation of individual proteins in the bilayer.

The choice of technique used to study membrane protein structure depends on the characteristics of the membrane protein and the information needed for the study.