Translocons are protein assemblies that facilitate the targeting and transport of proteins into and across biological membranes. Our understanding of these systems has been advanced using genetics, biochemistry, and structural biology. Despite these classic advances, until recently we have still largely lacked a detailed understanding of how translocons recognize and facilitate protein translocation. With the advent and improvements of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) single-particle analysis and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, the details of how translocons function are finally emerging. Here, we introduce these methods and evaluate their importance in understanding translocon structure, function, and dynamics.

易位子是促进蛋白质靶向和转运进入和穿过生物膜的蛋白质组装体。我们通过遗传学、生物化学和结构生物学加深了对这些系统的理解。尽管有这些经典的进展，直到最近我们仍然对易位子如何识别和促进蛋白质易位缺乏详细的了解。随着低温电子显微镜（cryo-EM）单颗粒分析和单分子荧光显微镜的出现和改进，易位子如何发挥作用的细节终于浮出水面。在这里，我们介绍这些方法并评估它们在理解易位子结构、功能和动力学方面的重要性。