The Role of Protein Electrostatics in Facilitating the Catalysis of DEAD-box Proteins

Abstract

Protein electrostatic states have been demonstrated to play crucial roles in catalysis, ligand binding, protein stability, and in the modulation of allosteric effects. Electrostatic states are demonstrated to appear conserved among DEAD-box motifs and evidence is presented that the structural changes that occur to DEAD box proteins upon ligand binding alter the DEAD-box motif electrostatics in a way the facilitates the catalytic role of the DEAD-box glutatmate.