Functional groups cooperative binding

When cooperativity is ignored, contributions of AG valnes to the total free energies of binding may be added together. Approaches based on functional group additives equation (21.7) or the additivity of free enthalpy components equation (21.8) have freqnently been applied to understand and predict protein-ligand interactions. Pioneering studies in this held were performed by Andrews et al. and Lau and Pettitt. ... 

This turns out to be the case, but what we are really looking for in a good enzyme is a cooperative eflFect. We already know that the nucleophilic functional group is a good catalyst for the deacylation of p-nitro-phenyl acetate, but what we want to see is how much help we get from the hydrophobic binding. 

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