[Dynamic model of protein behavior in water. Possible mechanism of association and dissociation of specific...

The proposed mechanism of association and dissociation of specific protein complex with ligands is based on the assumption that thermal fluctuations in the non-polar cavities of protein are interrelated due to the co-operative properties of macromolecules. The non-polar cavities, representing the active centres and clefts in the globule jump from the "open" state to the "closed" one with a certain amount of water being removed to the external medium. It is assumed that the association of ligand with the active centre is accompanied by stabilization of the chest state and destibilization of the open one, dissociation being a reverse process. A rapid change in the state of the active centre under the influence of ligand induces a slow relaxation process resulting in similar alterations in the state of the auxiliary non-polar cavities of protein. As a result, the binding constant of ligand increases, while the free energy of protein decreases. Expressions have been obtained which relate the rate constants of association, dissociation and the binding constant to the rate-constant of the nonpolar cavities transitions from the closed state to the open one, and vice versa. They gave a possibility for a qualitative interpretation of the effect of some specific and non-specific agents upon the stability of immunoglobulins, on the influence of salts upon the association and dissociation of antibody-antigene complexes and on the increase in the constant of binding between antibodies and haptens in the course of prolonged immunisation.