克罗托纳酶超级家族的酶:组合多样,功能多样

Proteins can form homomeric complexes with another unit of the same protein or heteromeric complexes with different types.  Most protein complexes self-assemble spontaneously via ordered pathways, while some proteins need assembly factors that guide their proper assembly. Despite the crowded intracellular environment, proteins usually interact with their correct partners and form functional complexes.
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...

Inside living organisms, enzymes act as catalysts for many biochemical reactions involved in cellular metabolism. The role of enzymes is to reduce the activation energies of biochemical reactions by forming complexes with its substrates. The lowering of activation energies favor an increase in the rates of biochemical reactions.
Enzyme deficiencies can often translate into life-threatening diseases. For example, a genetic abnormality resulting in the deficiency of the enzyme G6PD...

Caspase, a family of cysteine proteases, serve as effectors in apoptosis. The ced3 gene in C.elegans was first identified to be involved in apoptosis. This gene encodes the ced-3 caspase that is similar to the interleukin-1-beta converting enzyme or ICE in mammals. In addition to apoptosis, caspases also function in the inflammatory response. Inflammatory caspases are essential in activating pro-inflammatory cytokines that recruit immune cells and block the replication of pathogens inside...

The mitochondrial cristae membrane is the primary site for the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) process of energy conversion mediated through respiratory complexes I to V. These complexes have been widely studied for decades, and it has been proven that they form supramolecular structures called respiratory supercomplexes (SC). These higher-order complexes may be crucial in maintaining the biochemical structure and improving the physiological activity of the individual complexes while...

Binding sites linkages can regulate a protein's function.  For example, enzyme activity is often regulated through a feedback mechanism where the end product of the biochemical process serves as an inhibitor.
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...

The use of enzymes by humans dates to 7000 BCE. Humans first used enzymes to ferment sugars and produce alcohol without knowing that this was an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. Wilhelm Kuhne coined the term 'enzyme' in 1877 from the Greek words ‘en’ meaning ‘in’ or ‘within’ and ‘zyme’ meaning ‘yeast.’
Most enzymes are proteins that speed up biochemical reactions without being consumed. Enzymes contain one or more active sites that...