How to Change the Oligomeric State of a Circular Protein Assembly: Switch from 11-Subunit to 12-Subunit Trap Suggests a General Mechanism
Chen, C., Smits, C., Dodson, G.G., Shevtsov, M.B., Merlino, N., Gollnick, P., Antson, A.A.(2011) PLoS One 6: 25296
- PubMed: 21984911 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0025296
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
3ZZL, 3ZZQ, 3ZZS - PubMed Abstract: 
Many critical cellular functions are performed by multisubunit circular protein oligomers whose internal geometry has evolved to meet functional requirements. The subunit number is arguably the most critical parameter of a circular protein assembly, affecting the internal and external diameters of the assembly and often impacting on the protein's function. Although accurate structural information has been obtained for several circular proteins, a lack of accurate information on alternative oligomeric states has prevented engineering such transitions. In this study we used the bacterial transcription regulator TRAP as a model system to investigate the features that define the oligomeric state of a circular protein and to question how the subunit number could be manipulated.
Organizational Affiliation: 
York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, United Kingdom.