Different subunits belonging to the same protein complex often exhibit discordant expression levels and evolutionary properties

Or Matalon; Amnon Horovitz; Emmanuel D Levy

doi:10.1016/j.sbi.2014.06.001

Different subunits belonging to the same protein complex often exhibit discordant expression levels and evolutionary properties

Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2014 Jun:26:113-20. doi: 10.1016/j.sbi.2014.06.001. Epub 2014 Jul 2.

Authors

Or Matalon¹, Amnon Horovitz¹, Emmanuel D Levy²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
² Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. Electronic address: emmanuel.levy@weizmann.ac.il.

PMID: 24997301
DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2014.06.001

Abstract

Hetero-oligomeric protein complexes are involved in many of the key processes in cells. Given that the subunits of a complex function together, it has often been expected to find that (i) they are expressed at similar levels in cells; (ii) they are simultaneously present or absent in genomes; and that (iii) the effects on fitness of deleting their genes should be similar. Such a coherence is, however, often found to be weak or absent. Multi-functionality of subunits and mechanisms of complex assembly are discussed as possible sources for the lack of coherence.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Evolution, Molecular*
Gene Expression Regulation*
Humans
Phylogeny
Protein Aggregates
Protein Subunits / chemistry*
Protein Subunits / genetics
Protein Subunits / metabolism*
Transcription, Genetic

Substances

Protein Aggregates
Protein Subunits