ALLOSTERIC Meaning and
Definition
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The term "allosteric" is a concept frequently used in biochemistry and genetics to describe a type of regulation or modulation of enzyme activity or protein function. The word originates from the Greek words "allo," meaning other or different, and "steros," meaning solid or fixed.
In biochemistry, allosteric refers to the alteration of a protein's shape or conformation due to the binding of a molecule to a site on the protein, which is distinct from its active site. This binding event occurs at an allosteric site, also known as regulatory site, which is usually located far away from the active site. When a molecule binds to the allosteric site, it induces a change in the protein's structure, leading to either an increase or decrease in enzyme activity or protein function.
Allosteric regulation is crucial for maintaining homeostasis and controlling cellular metabolic pathways. It allows cells to respond to changing conditions and finely tune enzyme activity to match the needs of the cell. The molecules that bind to allosteric sites and modulate protein function are known as allosteric regulators or effectors. These regulators can be either activators, which enhance protein activity, or inhibitors, which suppress or reduce activity.
The allosteric regulation of enzymes and proteins plays a fundamental role in many biological processes, including signal transduction, metabolism, and gene expression. Understanding the mechanisms of allosteric regulation can provide valuable insights into cellular functions and potentially guide the development of therapeutic interventions.
Common Misspellings for ALLOSTERIC
Etymology of ALLOSTERIC
The word "allosteric" is derived from the combination of two Greek terms: "allo" meaning "other" or "different", and "stereos" meaning "structure" or "solid". The term was coined by the British biochemists William Jencks and Irwin Rose in 1967 to describe a specific type of regulation observed in enzymes. The prefix "allo-" suggests that there is a different and distant site on the enzyme (an "allosteric site") where a molecule can bind and affect the enzyme's activity, rather than directly interacting with the active site where the substrate typically binds. This concept of allosteric regulation has since been extended to describe various biomolecular interactions beyond enzymes.
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