REVIEW: Effect of Natural Ligands on the Structural Properties and Conformational Stability of Proteins

V. N. Uversky^1,2* and N. V. Narizhneva¹

¹Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142292 Russia; fax: (095) 924-0493; E-mail: uversky@vega.protres.ru

²Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142292 Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received December 28, 1997

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The effect of natural ligands on the structural properties and conformational stability of proteins is reviewed. It is shown that the range of possible structural transformations induced in a protein molecule by ligand release is very wide and virtually does not depend on the nature of the protein or that of the ligands. Ligand-free forms of protein are classified from the viewpoint of structural property changes of a protein molecule.

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KEY WORDS: ligands, ligand-free (apo-)form, structural changes, conformational stability, partially-folded states

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