The principle of conformational signaling

摘要: Signal transduction is the primary process by which cells respond to changes in their physical and chemical environments. Cellular response initiated through a signaling protein (a receptor), interacts with “signal”, most often novel molecule outside or inside cell. The mechanism of activation receptor conformational change and/or covalent modification, then sets motion pathway, i.e. cascade modification binding events that relay amplify message eventually alter state In reflection this general perception, concepts such as “second messenger” “phosphorylation cascade” dominate our views signal transduction. idea I advocate here non-covalent conformation itself might serve initial intermittent “signal” cascade, it event being recognized interpreted downstream receptor(s). This principle intertwined many other cellular regulatory concepts, (pathway) allostery, spread, induced folding/unfolding, memory, hierarchical assembly complexes, action chaperones prions. By elaborating on examples also recent advances experimental methodology, show signaling, although thus far underappreciated, robust time operates close interplay signals