Dimerization-based control of cooperativity.

ABSTRACT: Cooperativity of ligand-receptor binding influences the input-output behavior of a biochemical system and thus is an important determinant of its physiological function. Canonically, such cooperativity is understood in terms of ligand-receptor binding affinity, where an initial binding event changes the affinity for subsequent binding events. Here, we demonstrate that dimerization-a simple yet pervasive signaling motif across biology-can have significant control over cooperativity and even dominate over the canonical mechanism. Through an exhaustive parameter sensitivity analysis of a general kinetic model for signal-mediated dimerization, we show that quantitative modulation of dimerization processes can reinforce, eliminate, and even reverse cooperativity imposed by the canonical alloste

SUBMITTER: Bouhaddou M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4060435 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature