Conformational changes associated with protein-protein interactions

Abstract

Motions related to protein-protein binding events can be surveyed from the perspective of the Database of Macromolecular Movements. There are a number of alternative conceptual models that describe these events, particularly induced fit and pre-existing equilibrium. There is evidence for both alternatives from recent studies of conformational change. However, there is increasing support for the pre-existing equilibrium model, whereby proteins are found to simultaneously exist in populations of diverse conformations.