Classes conformational state changes

In P-class pumps, phosphorylation of the ct (catalytic) subunit and a change in conformational states are essential for coupling ATP hydrolysis to transport of Fi, Na, K, or Ca ions (see Figures 7-7 and 7-9). 

As described above, most solid-state reactions are heterogeneous, in the sense that reactant and product are in different solid phases. In many of these, product crystals first appear as nuclei that grow at the expense of the parent crystal. On the other hand, there are some solid-state reactions that are not accompanied by a phase change and for which, therefore, analogy with a solid-state transformation is not plausible. Such reactions are of particular interest in several respects They make possible conversion of a single crystal of reactant to a single crystal of product they enable study, for example by X-ray diffraction, of the structures of the parent and product molecules as functions of the degree of conversion in more or less constant environments and one can elucidate from them the constraints that the parent crystal imposes both on the reaction pathway and on the conformation of the product. It is in connection with the latter that this subject is of particular interest in the present context. This class of processes has been discussed by Thomas (183). 

In addition, all regio and stereochemical comparisons (including comparisons involving transition states instead of "normal" molecules) are isodesmic reactions, as are conformation changes. Isodesmic comparisons involving transition states are discussed in Chapter 9 and conformation changes are discussed in Chapter 8.) Thus, isodesmic processes constitute a large and important class of reactions. 

The chromophoric pyridoxal phosphate coenzyme provides a useful spectrophotometric probe of catalytic events and of conformational changes that occur at the pyridoxal phosphate site of the P subunit and of the aiPi complex. Tryptophan synthase belongs to a class of pyridoxal phosphate enzymes that catalyze /3-replacement and / -elimination reactions.3 The reactions proceed through a series of pyridoxal phosphate-substrate intermediates (Fig. 7.6) that have characteristic spectral properties. Steady-state and rapid kinetic studies of the P subunit and of the aiPi complex in solution have demonstrated the formation and disappearance of these intermediates.73-90 Fig. 7.7 illustrates the use of rapid-scanning stopped-flow UV-visible spectroscopy to investigate the effects of single amino acid substitutions in the a subunit on the rate of reactions of L-serine at the active site of the P subunit.89 Formation of enzyme-substrate intermediates has also been observed with the 012P2 complex in the crystalline state.91 ... 

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