Movement and self-control in protein assemblies: quasi-equivalence revisited

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980 · Biophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3495(80)84929-0· OSTI ID:6761379

Caspar, D L.D.

Purposeful switching among different conformational states exerts self-control in the construction and action of protein assemblies. Quasi-equivalence, conceived to explain icosahedral virus structure, arises by differentiation of identical protein subunits into different conformations that conserve essential bonding specificity. Mechanical models designed to represent the energy distribution in the structure, rather than just the arrangement of matter, are used to explore flexibility and self-controlled movements in virus particles. Information about the assembly of bacterial flagella, actin, tobacco mosaic virus and the T4 from an inactive, unsociable form to an active, associable form. Energy to drive this change is provided by the intersubunit bonding in the growing structure; this self-control of assembly by conformational switching is called autostery, by homology with allostery. A mechanical model of the contractile T4 tail sheath has been constructed to demonstrate how self-controlled activation of latent bonding potential can drive a purposeful movement. The gradient of quasi-equivalent conformations modelled in the contracting tail sheath has suggested a workable mechanism for self-determination of tail tube length. Concerted action by assembles of identical proteins may often depend on individually differentiated movements.

• Research Organization: Brandeis Univ., Waltham, MA
• OSTI ID: 6761379
• Journal Information: Biophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 32:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ACTIN
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
BACTERIA
BACTERIOPHAGES
BIOSYNTHESIS
SPATIAL DEPENDENCE
TOBACCO MOSAIC VIRUS
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CONFIGURATION INTERACTION
DYNAMIC FUNCTION STUDIES
INTERMEDIATE STRUCTURE
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
STRUCTURAL MODELS
KINETICS
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
PROTEINS
REACTION KINETICS
SYNTHESIS
VIRUSES
550200* - Biochemistry
550700 - Microbiology
551000 - Physiological Systems