biostudies-literatureCurnow PBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council1233-1245https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6824673biostudies-literatureUnknown47(5)The construction of artificial membrane proteins from first principles is of fundamental interest and holds considerable promise for new biotechnologies. This review considers the potential advantages of adopting a strictly minimalist approach to the process of membrane protein design. As well as the practical benefits of miniaturisation and simplicity for understanding sequence-structure-function relationships, minimalism should also support the abstract conceptualisation of membrane proteins as modular components for synthetic biology. These ideas are illustrated with selected examples that focus upon α-helical membrane proteins, and which demonstrate how such minimalist membrane proteins might be integrated into living biosystems.Biochemical Society transactionsDesigning minimalist membrane proteins.PMC6824673BB/L01386X/1Curnow PfalseDesigning minimalist membrane proteins.The construction of artificial membrane proteins from first principles is of fundamental interest and holds considerable promise for new biotechnologies. This review considers the potential advantages of adopting a strictly minimalist approach to the process of membrane protein design. As well as the practical benefits of miniaturisation and simplicity for understanding sequence-structure-function relationships, minimalism should also support the abstract conceptualisation of membrane proteins as modular components for synthetic biology. These ideas are illustrated with selected examples that focus upon α-helical membrane proteins, and which demonstrate how such minimalist membrane proteins might be integrated into living biosystems.2019-01-01T00:00:00Z2019 Oct2024-10-18T17:14:03.853Z2020-05-21T18:23:03ZS-EPMC68246733167118110.1042/BST20190170