Plant structural biology: Emerging technologies and future biological insights

TL;DR

Plant structural biology is advancing with new technologies, but plant proteins are still underrepresented, requiring better methods and collaboration to address key biological questions.

Contribution

The paper outlines emerging technologies and future directions for plant structural biology to overcome current limitations and unlock new biological insights.

Findings

Cryo-EM and AI-based modeling now enable detailed study of plant-specific molecular complexes.

Plant proteins are underrepresented in structural databases due to challenges in sample preparation and imaging.

Structural insights into photosynthesis and immunity could improve agriculture and sustainability.

Abstract

Plant structural biology is entering a new era. Advances in cryo‐electron microscopy, tomography, and AI‐based prediction are making it possible to study plant macromolecular machines at near‐atomic resolution, including complexes that long resisted analysis by traditional approaches. Yet, despite these developments, plant proteins remain underrepresented in structural databases, reflecting persistent challenges in sample preparation, in situ imaging, and capturing dynamics. At the same time, plants present unique opportunities for structural biology, from the photosynthetic apparatus and cellulose synthase rosettes to receptor‐like kinases, resistosomes, and plastid protein import machinery. Understanding these systems requires not only technical innovation but also conceptual shifts toward structural landscapes that capture molecular heterogeneity across time, space, and environmental conditions. Here, we outline the main frontiers for the field: improving sample preparation pipelines, advancing in situ and time‐resolved methods, integrating structural biology with omics, and harnessing computational modeling. We highlight biological questions where structural insights are most urgently needed, including photosynthesis, hormone signaling, cell wall synthesis, organelle biology, and immunity. We argue that investment in infrastructure, training, and collaborative networks is essential if plant structural biology is to realize its potential. By revealing the molecular logic of the green world, the field can contribute solutions to urgent challenges in agriculture, sustainability, and climate resilience.

Structural biology is beginning to reveal how plant molecular machines work, yet plant proteins remain underrepresented compared with biomedical targets. With advances in cryo‐EM, tomography, and AI‐based modeling, it is now possible to study complex, dynamic, and plant‐specific assemblies in unprecedented detail, paving the way from static protein snapshots to structural landscapes with transformative implications for crop improvement, stress resilience, and sustainability.

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