AMP PNP is a non-hydrolyzable analog of ATP, commonly used in biochemical and molecular biology research to study ATP-dependent processes. It is particularly valuable in enzyme kinetics studies, where it acts as a stable mimic of ATP without being broken down during reactions. This allows scientists to trap and analyze enzyme-substrate complexes in a pre-hydrolysis state.

It is widely used in structural biology, including X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM, to stabilize protein conformations that occur when ATP is bound. This helps in understanding the mechanism of motor proteins such as kinases, helicases, and ATPases.

In cellular assays, AMP PNP can inhibit ATP-driven processes, helping to dissect energy-dependent pathways. Its resistance to hydrolysis makes it ideal for studying the role of ATP binding versus hydrolysis in protein function. It is also used in nucleotide-binding studies to measure affinity and specificity of binding sites.