What is Cooperativity?

摘要

Cooperativity is a central concept for understanding molecular recognition and supramolecular self-assembly, yet there is widespread confusion about the definition and quantification of cooperativity, particularly in the context of self-assembled structures. Herein, we delineate two types of cooperativity-allosteric and chelate cooperativity-in multivalent systems. Allosteric cooperativity is widely recognized, whereas the significance of chelate cooperativity has been overlooked.