Activating Biological Functions of Proteins with Gas Molecules

INTERACTION OF PROTEINS WITH SMALL MOLECULES

Biological functions of multistable proteins.

Multistable proteins are defined as those that have available more than one most stable conformation. This capability requires a reversal of the most stable and metastable designations dependent upon environmental conditions. The concept of multistability is discussed with regard to enzyme maturation, hybrid vigor, metabolic temperature compensation, developmental gradients, membrane transport ...

Focus on molecules: guanylate cyclase-activating proteins (GCAPs).

GCAPs are neuronal Ca2þ-binding proteins of the calmodulin (CaM) superfamily expressed in photoreceptors (Palczewski et al., 1994). Whereas mammals express up to three GCAPs (GCAP1-3), as many as eight distinct GCAPs can be identified in the genomes of lower vertebrates. These proteins exhibit about 50% sequence similarity and identical domain structures; all are N-myristoylated or modified by ...

Biological functions of iron-sulphur proteins.

FKBP family proteins: immunophilins with versatile biological functions.

Immunophilins consist of a family of highly conserved proteins binding with immunosuppressive drugs such as FK506, rapamycin and cyclosporin A. FK506-binding protein (FKBP) is one of two major immunophilins and most of FKBP family members bind FK506 and show peptidylprolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIase) activity. Small size FKBP family members contain only FK506-binding domain, while FKBPs with l...