Conformational coupling hypothesis

The spatial separation between the components of the electron transport chain and the site of ATP synthesis was incompatible with simple interpretations of the chemical coupling hypothesis. In 1964, Paul Boyer suggested that conformational changes in components in the electron transport system consequent to electron transfer might be coupled to ATP formation, the conformational coupling hypothesis. No evidence for direct association has been forthcoming but conformational changes in the subunits of the FI particle are now included in the current mechanism for oxidative phosphorylation. 

Much investigative effort has been directed towards the elucidation of the coupling of the two aspects of oxidative phosphorylation. Historically, three mechanisms have been proposed the chemical coupling hypothesis, the chemiosmotic hypothesis and conformational coupling hypothesis. 

The conformational coupling hypothesis (1974) proposed that the free energy released from electrons during transport induced conformational change in the enzyme mediated by certain membrane proteins, to enhance its affinity for substrates. Appositely positioned substrates readily undergo dehydration to form ATP which remains enzyme-bound until pertinent energy-induced conformational change promotes its release. However, the membrane proteins remain unidentified. 

Throughout this discussion of oxidative phosphorylation, we have assumed that the coupling mechanisms involve the formation of high-energy intermediates. This chemical hypothesis is not accepted by all the chemiosmotic hypothesis of oxidative phosphorylation was proposed by Mitchell in 1961, and in 1966 Boyer [148] proposed a new hypothesis involving conformation coupling. 

While the chemiosmotic hypothesis does not embrace the need for the mediation of a chemical coupling compound(s) or for conformational coupling interaction(s) between the redox system and the ATP-synthesizing system, Mitchell notes that there is every reason to believe that conformational interactions may be involved within the translocation system itself, in a manner consistent with the role of conformational changes in enzymic catalysis, as elaborated in Chapters 3 and 4 of this book. 

The conformation of membrane-bound enzymes is undoubtedly restricted by the membrane. However, the mechanism of action of these enzymes appears to be similar to that of soluble enzymes, so that the presence of clefts and conformational flexibility is to be expected. The mitochondrial coupling factor apparently contains both the ATP synthesizing enzyme and a proton channel conformational changes undoubtedly play a role in the function of this system. A large movement of polypeptide chains has been proposed in the functioning of this system (and for other membrane-bound enzymes), but no convincing experimental evidence is available to support such a hypothesis. 

As mentioned earlier, current models of receptor function provide for receptor conformations that interconvert between inactive and active states. The agonist-directed trafficking of receptor stimulus hypothesis suggests that there are multiple active conformations of a receptor that differ in their capacity to couple/activate effector pathways. Such multistate models predict that, like agonist-stimulated responses, constitutive receptor activity and the relative efficacy of inverse agonists should also be response dependent (Fig. 6). 

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