Distinct mechanisms for the pro-apoptotic conformational transition and alkaline transition in cytochrome c

摘要

We demonstrate for the first time that cytochrome c undergoes a distinct pathway in the alkaline conformational transition from its pro-apoptotic conformational transition, which may have important functional consequences in vivo. An "avant-garde view" of proteins has been recently proposed, in which proteins possess inherent conformational variability and hence functional diversity. Understanding the intrinsic mechanisms responsible for the transitions from native protein to its functional "non-native" conformers presents numerous challenges.