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REVIEW: Effect of Natural Ligands on the Structural Properties and Conformational Stability of Proteins

V. N. Uversky1,2* and N. V. Narizhneva1

1Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142292 Russia; fax: (095) 924-0493; E-mail: uversky@vega.protres.ru

2Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142292 Russia

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received December 28, 1997
The effect of natural ligands on the structural properties and conformational stability of proteins is reviewed. It is shown that the range of possible structural transformations induced in a protein molecule by ligand release is very wide and virtually does not depend on the nature of the protein or that of the ligands. Ligand-free forms of protein are classified from the viewpoint of structural property changes of a protein molecule.
KEY WORDS: ligands, ligand-free (apo-)form, structural changes, conformational stability, partially-folded states