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11:13
Identification of Kinase-substrate Pairs Using High Throughput Screening
Published on: August 29, 2015
Protein kinases: evolution of dynamic regulatory proteins
Susan S Taylor1, Alexandr P Kornev
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. staylor@ucsd.edu
Trends in Biochemical Sciences
|October 26, 2010
Summary
Protein kinases are dynamic molecular switches in eukaryotic cells. Their evolution showcases a conserved structure with flexible elements, enabling precise regulation of biological events.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Structural Biology
Background:
- Eukaryotic protein kinases are essential regulators of cellular processes.
- Their molecular structure and dynamics are key to their function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the structural organization and evolutionary dynamics of protein kinases.
- To understand how protein kinase architecture enables precise biological regulation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of protein kinase structural architecture.
- Investigation of evolutionary conserved features.
- Examination of the role of hydrophobic scaffolds and spines in kinase dynamics.
Main Results:
- Protein kinases possess a highly organized internal architecture centered around a hydrophobic F-helix.
- Hydrophobic 'spines' provide flexible anchoring for catalytic elements, contributing to molecular dynamics.
- A universal regulatory mechanism involving a dynamic activation segment evolved to control kinase activity.
Conclusions:
- Protein kinases are highly dynamic, precisely regulated molecular switches crucial for eukaryotic cell function.
- The conserved structural features, including the F-helix and spines, are fundamental to kinase regulation and evolution.
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