Membrane simulations: bigger and better?

Molecular dynamics simulations of biological membranes have come of age. Si mulations of pure lipid bilayers are extending our understanding of both op timal simulation procedures and the detailed structural dynamics of lipids in these systems. Simulation methods established using simple bilayer-embed ded peptides are being extended to a wide range of membrane proteins and me mbrane protein models, and are beginning to reveal some of the complexities of membrane protein structural dynamics and their relationship to biologic al function.