Protein Function
Key Principles The functions of many proteins involve the reversible binding of other molecules (ligands). A ligand binds a protein at a binding site that is complementary to the ligand in size, charge, and hydrophobic or hydrophilic character. Proteins are flexible. The binding of a protein and a ligand is often coupled to a conformational change in the protein that makes the binding site more complementary to the ligand, permitting tighter binding. In a multi-subunit protein, a conformational change in one subunit often affects the conformation of other subunits
Reversible Binding of a Protein to a ligand: oxygen-binding proteins
No chemistry