Multiple conformational selection and induced fit events take place in allosteric propagation.
The fact that we observe a single conformational selection event during binding does not necessarily mean that only a single conformational selection event takes place, even though this is the common assumption. Here we suggest that conformational selection takes place not once in a given binding/allosteric event, but at every step along the allosteric pathway. This view generalizes conformational selection and makes it applicable also to other allosteric events, such as post-translational modifications (PTMs) and photon absorption. Similar to binding, at each step along a propagation pathway, conformational selection is coupled with induced fit which optimizes the interactions. Thus, as in binding, the allosteric effects induced by PTMs and light relate not only to population shift; but to conformational selection as well. Conformational selection and population shift take place conjointly.
Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, United States; Sackler Inst. of Molecular Medicine, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel. Electronic address: NussinoR@helix.nih.gov.
Ruth
R
Nussinov
Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, United States.
Buyong
B
Ma
Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, United States.
Chung-Jung
CJ
Tsai
D000494:Allosteric Regulation; D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
D011506:Proteins
Allosteric; Allostery; Binding; Conformational selection; Induced fit; Molecular recognition