Chemokine oligomerization and interactions with receptors and glycosaminoglycans: the role of structural dynamics in function.

ABSTRACT: The first chemokine structure, that of IL-8/CXCL8, was determined in 1990. Since then, many chemokine structures have emerged. To the initial disappointment of structural biologists, the tertiary structures of these small proteins were found to be highly conserved. However, they have since proven to be much more interesting and diverse than originally expected. Somewhat like lego blocks, many chemokines oligomerize and there is significant diversity in their oligomeric forms and propensity to oligomerize. Chemokines not only interact with receptors where different oligomeric forms can induce different signaling responses, they also interact with glycosaminoglycans which can stabilize oligomers and other structures that would not otherwise form in solution. Although chemokine monomers and d

SUBMITTER: Salanga CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3089961 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature