Chaperone protection of immature molybdoenzyme during molybdenum cofactor limitation

The native conformation of a protein is formed by interactions between the side chains of its constituent amino acids. When the amino acids cannot form these interactions, the protein cannot fold by itself and needs chaperones. Notably, chaperones do not relay any additional information required for the folding of polypeptides; the native conformation of a protein is determined solely by its amino acid sequence. Chaperones catalyze protein folding without being a part of the folded protein.
The...

The native conformation of a protein is formed by interactions between the side chains of its constituent amino acids. When the amino acids cannot form these interactions, the protein cannot fold by itself and needs chaperones. Notably, chaperones do not relay any additional information required for the folding of polypeptides; the native conformation of a protein is determined solely by its amino acid sequence. Chaperones catalyze protein folding without being a part of the folded protein.
The...

Bacterial protein maturation is a tightly regulated process that ensures newly synthesized polypeptides achieve correct functional conformations. This maturation involves a series of modifications, folding events, and quality control steps, often assisted by specialized chaperone proteins.N-Terminal ModificationsThe maturation of bacterial polypeptides begins cotranslationally as the polypeptide exits the ribosome. The first amino acid, N-formylmethionine (fMet), is typically modified at the...

Enzymes require additional components for proper function. There are two such classes of molecules: cofactors and coenzymes. Cofactors are metallic ions and coenzymes are non-protein organic molecules. Both of these types of helper molecule can be tightly bound to the enzyme or bound only when the substrate binds.

Enzymes are proteins made of amino acids. The functional group of each constituent amino acid catalyzes a wide variety of chemical reactions via ionic interactions or acid-base reactions. However, amino acids cannot catalyze oxidation-reduction and group transfer reactions and need to be aided by non-protein components called cofactors. Cofactors are also referred to as the chemical teeth of an enzyme.
Cofactors can be metallic ions or organic molecules called coenzymes. These types of helper...

Mitochondrial precursors are partially unfolded or loosely folded polypeptide chains. Newly synthesized precursors are inhibited from spontaneously folding into their native conformation by the cytosolic chaperones, heat shock proteins 70 (Hsp70), and mitochondrial import stimulation factors (MSFs). Precursors bound to MSFs are guided to the TOM70-TOM37 receptors, while precursors bound to Hsp70  chaperones are targetted to TOM20-TOM22 receptor complexes.
Most of the mitochondrial precursors...