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Optimization of Synthetic Proteins: Identification of Interpositional Dependencies Indicating Structurally and/or Functionally Linked Residues
07:08

Optimization of Synthetic Proteins: Identification of Interpositional Dependencies Indicating Structurally and/or Functionally Linked Residues

Published on: July 14, 2015

Protein structural modularity and robustness are associated with evolvability.

Mary M Rorick1, Günter P Wagner

  • 1Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. mmrorick@gmail.com

Genome Biology and Evolution
|May 24, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Biological modularity and robustness in protein structures enhance evolvability, allowing for faster adaptation. These structural traits reduce constraints on amino acid changes, promoting natural selection and evolution.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Structural biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Biological modularity and robustness are theorized to maintain fitness and promote evolvability under mutation.
  • Empirical evidence linking these traits to evolvability in natural systems is limited due to measurement challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if structural modularity and robustness in proteins confer evolvability.
  • To establish novel indices for measuring protein structural modularity, robustness, and evolvability.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a novel index for protein structural modularity: (regular secondary structure elements) / (total residues).
  • Indexed protein evolvability using positive selection evidence and average adaptive evolution rates across 25 mammalian species.
  • Used contact density as an index for protein structural robustness (designability).

Main Results:

  • Protein evolvability showed a positive association with both structural modularity and structural robustness.
  • The influence of structural modularity on evolvability was independent of structural robustness.
  • Higher modularity and robustness correlate with reduced constraints on amino acid substitutions.

Conclusions:

  • Protein structural modularity and robustness are key factors promoting evolvability.
  • These structural properties facilitate faster adaptation by natural selection.
  • Findings support the theoretical link between biological structure and evolutionary capacity.