3 ms·

So what are the lessons here? - that structure is as/more important than sequence ? - that "reaction centers" are what matter, and the rest is just "protectio

• flobosg 5mo ago
  > that structure is as/more important than sequence? Structure is determined by sequence, so they are equally important. Structure is more conserved than sequence, mainly due to the physicochemical constraints that govern protein folding. > that "reaction centers" are what matter, and the rest is just "protection"? Sometimes not even protection. Many enzymes can have plenty of its sequence/structure removed and still be functional. Natural proteins carry lots of evolutionary cruft. > What do you mean by "reaction center" - surely not physically central within the folded structure I think they borrowed the term from photosystems/photosynthesis. But, to be more precise, what they actually meant is the active site of an enzyme; the location where the catalyzed reaction takes place. > (isn't it the surface shape that determines reactivity) ? Shape is not enough, the chemical nature of the amino acid residues involved is also important. A single mutation in a key catalytic residue will shut down the enzyme even if the shape stays the same.
• jyounker 5mo ago
  > What do you mean by "reaction center" An enzymatic reaction center is also known as an "active size". It's the location within an enzyme's 3D structure where catalysis happens.
• jyounker 5mo ago
  > So what are the lessons here? The only lesson is that, to a biochemist, the result is not surprising.