The intracellular environment affects protein–protein interactions
Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: Significance Protein–protein interactions are essential for proper cellular function. Macromolecular crowding can influence these interactions via two phenomena: hard-core repulsions and soft (chemical) interactions. Simple theory predicts that hard-core repulsions are stabilizing, and stabilization increases with increased crowding, while chemical interactions can be stabilizing or destabilizing. We investigated the effect of the cellular environment on a model protein–protein interaction in a prokaryote ( Escherichia coli ) and a eukaryote ( Xenopus laevis oocytes). The observation that the complex is more stable in the eukaryote, even though it is less crowded, highlights the key role played by chemical interactions under physiologically relevant conditions.
Authors: Shannon L. Speer, Wenwen Zheng, Xin Jiang, I-Te Chu, Alex J. Guseman, Maili Liu, Gary J. Pielak, Conggang Li
Institutions: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, CAS, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3134525294