Elliptical structure of phospholipid bilayer nanodiscs encapsulated by scaffold proteins: casting the roles of the lipids and the protein

Small-angle neutron scattering in combination with variable-temperature studies of synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering on nanodiscs in solution has shown that the fundamental nanodisc unit, consisting of a lipid bilayer surrounded by amphiphilic scaffold proteins, have an elliptical shape. The studies have shown that the hydrophobic bilayer thickness is dictated by the scaffolding proteins and adjusted to minimize the hydrophobic mismatch between protein and phospholipid.