Principles underlying energetic coupling along an allosteric communication trajectory of a voltage-activated K+ channel.

ABSTRACT: The information flow between distal elements of a protein may rely on allosteric communication trajectories lying along the protein's tertiary or quaternary structure. To unravel the underlying features of energy parsing along allosteric pathways in voltage-gated K(+) channels, high-order thermodynamic coupling analysis was performed. We report that such allosteric trajectories are functionally conserved and delineated by well defined boundaries. Moreover, allosteric trajectories assume a hierarchical organization whereby increasingly stronger layers of cooperative residue interactions act to ensure efficient and cooperative long-range coupling between distal channel regions. Such long-range communication is brought about by a coupling of local and global conformational changes, suggesting

SUBMITTER: Sadovsky E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2148381 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature