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Protein complexes: the evolution of symmetry.
Kevin W Plaxco1, Michael Gross
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Program in BioMolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA. kwp@chem.ucsb.edu
Current Biology : CB
|January 14, 2009
Summary
Most proteins assemble into symmetrical, multi-part structures. Computational modeling suggests that the inherent stability of these symmetric protein complexes is the primary reason for their prevalence, not necessarily other evolutionary benefits.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Structural Biology
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Most proteins function as multimeric complexes, meaning they are composed of multiple subunits.
- A significant proportion of these complexes exhibit symmetric arrangements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the underlying reasons for the prevalence of symmetry in protein complex structures.
- To determine if symmetry itself confers a stability advantage that drives its widespread occurrence.
Main Methods:
- Utilized computational modeling to simulate and analyze the stability of protein complex structures.
- Compared the stability of symmetric versus asymmetric protein complex models.
Main Results:
- Modeling results indicate that symmetric protein complexes are inherently more stable than asymmetric ones.
- This increased stability can sufficiently explain the observed bias towards symmetry in protein structures.
Conclusions:
- The prevalence of symmetry in protein complexes is largely driven by the enhanced stability of symmetric arrangements.
- Symmetry provides a structural advantage that favors the formation and persistence of these complexes, independent of other adaptive pressures.
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