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arXiv · 0811.3716

The self-assembly and evolution of homomeric protein complexes

Gabriel Villar·Alex W. Wilber·Alex J. Williamson·Parvinder Thiara·Jonathan P. K. Doye·Ard A. Louis·Mara N. Jochum·Anna C. F. Lewis·Emmanuel D. Levy
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Abstract

We introduce a simple "patchy particle" model to study the thermodynamics and dynamics of self-assembly of homomeric protein complexes. Our calculations allow us to rationalize recent results for dihedral complexes. Namely, why evolution of such complexes naturally takes the system into a region of interaction space where (i) the evolutionarily newer interactions are weaker, (ii) subcomplexes involving the stronger interactions are observed to be thermodynamically stable on destabilization of the protein-protein interactions and (iii) the self-assembly dynamics are hierarchical with these same subcomplexes acting as kinetic intermediates.

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Gabriel Villar, Alex W. Wilber, Alex J. Williamson, Parvinder Thiara, Jonathan P. K. Doye, Ard A. Louis, Mara N. Jochum, Anna C. F. Lewis, Emmanuel D. Levy. 2008-11-22. The self-assembly and evolution of homomeric protein complexes. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.102.118106

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