title: Large conformational changes in proteins: signaling and other functions.
abstract: Guanine and adenine nucleotide triphosphatases, such as Ras proteins and protein kinases, undergo large conformational changes upon ligand binding in the course of their functions. New computer simulation methods have combined with experimental studies to deepen our understanding of these phenomena. In particular, a 'conformational selection' picture is emerging, where alterations in the relative populations of pre-existing conformations can best describe the conformational switching activity of these important proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Barry J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Alemayehu A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gorfe
authors.forename: J Andrew
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McCammon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020703:ras GTPase-Activating Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D020703:ras GTPase-Activating Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases