Unified understanding of the coupled folding and binding mechanisms of intrinsically disordered proteins

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K07023
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biophysics
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Arai Munehito 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 教授 (90302801)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): HAYASHI Yuuki 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 助教 (90444059)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 蛋白質 / フォールディング / 天然変性蛋白質 / 分子認識 / NMR

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) have disordered structures under physiological conditions but fold into specific structures upon binding to their target proteins. Because many eukaryotic proteins are IDPs, it is important to elucidate the determinants of the mechanisms of coupled folding and binding of IDPs and to unify the understanding of how IDPs recognize their target molecules. Here, we showed that even a single IDP can contain two regions that bind their targets via different binding mechanisms, including the induced-fit and conformational selection mechanisms. Moreover, our results suggest that the folding ability of IDPs determines their binding mechanisms.

Free Research Field

生物物理学