Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026

Defining Hsp33's Redox-regulated Chaperone Activity and Mapping Conformational Changes on Hsp33 Using Hydrogen-deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 7, 2018
Allostery in the Hsp70 chaperone proteins
Erik R P Zuiderweg1, Eric B Bertelsen, Aikaterini Rousaki
1Department of Biological Chemistry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. zuiderwe@umich.edu
Heat shock 70-kDa (Hsp70) chaperones regulate protein folding via nucleotide-controlled cycles. Understanding Hsp70 allosteric mechanisms is crucial for developing therapies targeting diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Biophysics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Heat shock 70-kDa (Hsp70) chaperones are vital for cellular protein homeostasis, including folding, transport, and refolding.
- Their function relies on cycles of client protein binding and release, regulated by nucleotide binding and hydrolysis.
- Understanding Hsp70's allosteric mechanism is key due to its role in diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review current findings on the allosteric mechanisms of Hsp70.
- To highlight the impact of co-chaperones on Hsp70 function.
- To discuss Hsp70 as a drug target for diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer.
Main Methods:
- X-ray crystallography
- NMR spectroscopy
- Biophysical techniques
Main Results:
- Detailed understanding of the allosteric mechanism linking Hsp70 activities.
- Insights into how nucleotide binding and hydrolysis control chaperone function.
- Evidence for the influence of co-chaperones on Hsp70's allosteric regulation.
Conclusions:
- Hsp70's allosteric mechanism is complex and crucial for its function.
- Hsp70 represents a promising therapeutic target for neurodegenerative and oncological diseases.
- Interference with Hsp70 allosteric pathways offers potential treatment strategies.
Related Concept Videos
Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding
The...
Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding
The...
Bacterial Protein Maturation
Allosteric Proteins-ATCase
Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) is a cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes the condensation of L-aspartate and carbamoyl phosphate to N-carbamoyl-L-aspartate. This reaction is the first step in pyrimidine biosynthesis. UTP and CTP, the end products of the pyrimidine synthesis pathway,...
Export of Misfolded Proteins out of the ER
Cooperative Allosteric Transitions

