Dynamically driven protein allostery

On the Contribution of Linear Correlations to Quasi-harmonic Conformational Entropy in Proteins

We study the contribution of linear, pairwise atom-positional correlations (covariances) to absolute and relative conformational entropy as calculated by quasi-harmonic analysis of molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories (SQH and ΔSQH). By analyzing a total of 25 μs of MD simulations of ubiquitin and six of its binding partners in bound and unbound states, and 2.4 μs of simulations of eight different proteins in phosphorylated and unphosphorylated states, we show that ΔSQH represents a remarkably constant fraction of a quasi-harmonic entropy change obtained if one ignores the contribution of covariance terms and uses mass-weighted atom-positional variances only (ΔSVAR). In other words, the relative contribution of linear correlations to conformational entropy change for different proteins and in different biomolecular processes appears to be largely constant. Based on this, we establish an empirical relationship between relative quasi-harmonic conformational entropy and changes in crystallographic B-factors induced by different processes, and we use it to estimate conformational-entropic contribution to the free energy of binding for a large set of protein complexes based on their X-ray structures. Our results suggest a simple way for relating other types of dynamical observables with conformational entropy in the absence of information on correlated motions, such as in the case of NMR order parameters.

Measurement of ¹⁵N relaxation rates in perdeuterated proteins by TROSY-based methods

While extracting dynamics parameters from backbone (15)N relaxation measurements in proteins has become routine over the past two decades, it is increasingly recognized that accurate quantitative analysis can remain limited by the potential presence of systematic errors associated with the measurement of (15)N R(1) and R(2) or R(1ρ) relaxation rates as well as heteronuclear (15)N-{(1)H} NOE values. We show that systematic errors in such measurements can be far larger than the statistical error derived from either the observed signal-to-noise ratio, or from the reproducibility of the measurement. Unless special precautions are taken, the problem of systematic errors is shown to be particularly acute in perdeuterated systems, and even more so when TROSY instead of HSQC elements are used to read out the (15)N magnetization through the NMR-sensitive (1)H nucleus. A discussion of the most common sources of systematic errors is presented, as well as TROSY-based pulse schemes that appear free of systematic errors to the level of <1 %. Application to the small perdeuterated protein GB3, which yields exceptionally high S/N and therefore is an ideal test molecule for detection of systematic errors, yields relaxation rates that show considerably less residue by residue variation than previous measurements. Measured R(2)'/R(1)' ratios fit an axially symmetric diffusion tensor with a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.97, comparable to fits obtained for backbone amide RDCs to the Saupe matrix.

Structural and Entropic Allosteric Signal Transduction Strength via Correlated Motions

Allosteric signal transduction in biomacromolecules can play an essential role in their function. Internal motional correlations in proteins provide a possible communication mechanism, but the quantitative relationship between statistical correlations and allostery is unknown. Quantitative relationships between internal motional correlations and the efficiency of propagation of allosteric structural and entropic effects are introduced and validated against conformational ensembles obtained from molecular dynamics simulations. This framework can explain a range of phenomena, such as the occurrence of an allosteric entropy change in the absence of any noticeable structural change.

Thermodynamic dissection of the intrinsically disordered N-terminal domain of human glucocorticoid receptor

Intrinsically disordered (ID) sequence segments are abundant in cell signaling proteins and transcription factors. Because ID regions commonly fold as part of their intracellular function, it is crucial to understand the folded states as well as the transitions between the unfolded and folded states. Specifically, it is important to determine 1) whether large ID segments contain different thermodynamically and/or functionally distinct regions, 2) whether any ID regions fold upon activation, 3) the degree of coupling between the different ID regions, and 4) whether the stability of ID domains is a determinant of function. In this study, we thermodynamically characterized the full-length ID N-terminal domain (NTD) of human glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and two of its naturally occurring translational isoforms. The protective osmolyte trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) was used to induce folding transitions. Each of the three NTD isoforms was found to undergo a cooperative folding transition that is thermodynamically indistinguishable (based on m-values) from that of a globular protein of similar size. The extrapolated stabilities for the NTD isoforms showed clear correlation with the known activities of their corresponding GR translational isoforms. The data reveal that the full-length NTD can be viewed as having at least two thermodynamically coupled regions, a functional region, which is indispensable for GR transcriptional activity, and a regulatory region, the length of which serves to regulate the stability of NTD and thus the activity of GR. These results suggest a new functional paradigm whereby steroid hormone receptors in particular and ID proteins in general can have multiple functionally distinct ID regions that interact and modulate the stability of important functional sites.

Heteronuclear Adiabatic Relaxation Dispersion (HARD) for quantitative analysis of conformational dynamics in proteins

NMR relaxation methods probe biomolecular motions over a wide range of timescales. In particular, the rotating frame spin-lock R(1ρ) and Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) R(2) experiments are commonly used to characterize μs to ms dynamics, which play a critical role in enzyme folding and catalysis. In an effort to complement these approaches, we introduced the Heteronuclear Adiabatic Relaxation Dispersion (HARD) method, where dispersion in rotating frame relaxation rate constants (longitudinal R(1ρ) and transverse R(2ρ)) is created by modulating the shape and duration of adiabatic full passage (AFP) pulses. Previously, we showed the ability of the HARD method to detect chemical exchange dynamics in the fast exchange regime (k(ex)∼10(4)-10(5) s(-1)). In this article, we show the sensitivity of the HARD method to slower exchange processes by measuring R(1ρ) and R(2ρ) relaxation rates for two soluble proteins (ubiquitin and 10C RNA ligase). One advantage of the HARD method is its nominal dependence on the applied radio frequency field, which can be leveraged to modulate the dispersion in the relaxation rate constants. In addition, we also include product operator simulations to define the dynamic range of adiabatic R(1ρ) and R(2ρ) that is valid under all exchange regimes. We conclude from both experimental observations and simulations that this method is complementary to CPMG-based and rotating frame spin-lock R(1ρ) experiments to probe conformational exchange dynamics for biomolecules. Finally, this approach is germane to several NMR-active nuclei, where relaxation rates are frequency-offset independent.

Coupled motion in proteins revealed by pressure perturbation

The cooperative nature of protein substructure and internal motion is a critical aspect of their functional competence about which little is known experimentally. NMR relaxation is used here to monitor the effects of high pressure on fast internal motion in the protein ubiquitin. In contrast to the main chain, the motions of the methyl-bearing side chains have a large and variable pressure dependence. Within the core, this pressure sensitivity correlates with the magnitude of motion at ambient pressure. Spatial clustering of the dynamic response to applied hydrostatic pressure is also seen, indicating localized cooperativity of motion on the sub-nanosecond time scale and suggesting regions of variable compressibility. These and other features indicate that the native ensemble contains a significant fraction of members with characteristics ascribed to the recently postulated "dry molten globule". The accompanying variable side-chain conformational entropy helps complete our view of the thermodynamic architecture underlying protein stability, folding, and function.

Single enzyme studies reveal the existence of discrete functional states for monomeric enzymes and how they are "selected" upon allosteric regulation

Allosteric regulation of enzymatic activity forms the basis for controlling a plethora of vital cellular processes. While the mechanism underlying regulation of multimeric enzymes is generally well understood and proposed to primarily operate via conformational selection, the mechanism underlying allosteric regulation of monomeric enzymes is poorly understood. Here we monitored for the first time allosteric regulation of enzymatic activity at the single molecule level. We measured single stochastic catalytic turnovers of a monomeric metabolic enzyme (Thermomyces lanuginosus Lipase) while titrating its proximity to a lipid membrane that acts as an allosteric effector. The single molecule measurements revealed the existence of discrete binary functional states that could not be identified in macroscopic measurements due to ensemble averaging. The discrete functional states correlate with the enzyme's major conformational states and are redistributed in the presence of the regulatory effector. Thus, our data support allosteric regulation of monomeric enzymes to operate via selection of preexisting functional states and not via induction of new ones.

Probing molecular mechanisms of the Hsp90 chaperone: biophysical modeling identifies key regulators of functional dynamics

Deciphering functional mechanisms of the Hsp90 chaperone machinery is an important objective in cancer biology aiming to facilitate discovery of targeted anti-cancer therapies. Despite significant advances in understanding structure and function of molecular chaperones, organizing molecular principles that control the relationship between conformational diversity and functional mechanisms of the Hsp90 activity lack a sufficient quantitative characterization. We combined molecular dynamics simulations, principal component analysis, the energy landscape model and structure-functional analysis of Hsp90 regulatory interactions to systematically investigate functional dynamics of the molecular chaperone. This approach has identified a network of conserved regions common to the Hsp90 chaperones that could play a universal role in coordinating functional dynamics, principal collective motions and allosteric signaling of Hsp90. We have found that these functional motifs may be utilized by the molecular chaperone machinery to act collectively as central regulators of Hsp90 dynamics and activity, including the inter-domain communications, control of ATP hydrolysis, and protein client binding. These findings have provided support to a long-standing assertion that allosteric regulation and catalysis may have emerged via common evolutionary routes. The interaction networks regulating functional motions of Hsp90 may be determined by the inherent structural architecture of the molecular chaperone. At the same time, the thermodynamics-based "conformational selection" of functional states is likely to be activated based on the nature of the binding partner. This mechanistic model of Hsp90 dynamics and function is consistent with the notion that allosteric networks orchestrating cooperative protein motions can be formed by evolutionary conserved and sparsely connected residue clusters. Hence, allosteric signaling through a small network of distantly connected residue clusters may be a rather general functional requirement encoded across molecular chaperones. The obtained insights may be useful in guiding discovery of allosteric Hsp90 inhibitors targeting protein interfaces with co-chaperones and protein binding clients.

Cutting edge: Evidence for a dynamically driven T cell signaling mechanism

T cells use the αβ TCR to bind peptides presented by MHC proteins (pMHC) on APCs. Formation of a TCR-pMHC complex initiates T cell signaling via a poorly understood process, potentially involving changes in oligomeric state, altered interactions with CD3 subunits, and mechanical stress. These mechanisms could be facilitated by binding-induced changes in the TCR, but the nature and extent of any such alterations are unclear. Using hydrogen/deuterium exchange, we demonstrate that ligation globally rigidifies the TCR, which via entropic and packing effects will promote associations with neighboring proteins and enhance the stability of existing complexes. TCR regions implicated in lateral associations and signaling are particularly affected. Computational modeling demonstrated a high degree of dynamic coupling between the TCR constant and variable domains that is dampened upon ligation. These results raise the possibility that TCR triggering could involve a dynamically driven, allosteric mechanism.

Comparison of tertiary structures of proteins in protein-protein complexes with unbound forms suggests prevalence of allostery in signalling proteins

BACKGROUND

Most signalling and regulatory proteins participate in transient protein-protein interactions during biological processes. They usually serve as key regulators of various cellular processes and are often stable in both protein-bound and unbound forms. Availability of high-resolution structures of their unbound and bound forms provides an opportunity to understand the molecular mechanisms involved. In this work, we have addressed the question "What is the nature, extent, location and functional significance of structural changes which are associated with formation of protein-protein complexes?"

RESULTS

A database of 76 non-redundant sets of high resolution 3-D structures of protein-protein complexes, representing diverse functions, and corresponding unbound forms, has been used in this analysis. Structural changes associated with protein-protein complexation have been investigated using structural measures and Protein Blocks description. Our study highlights that significant structural rearrangement occurs on binding at the interface as well as at regions away from the interface to form a highly specific, stable and functional complex. Notably, predominantly unaltered interfaces interact mainly with interfaces undergoing substantial structural alterations, revealing the presence of at least one structural regulatory component in every complex.Interestingly, about one-half of the number of complexes, comprising largely of signalling proteins, show substantial localized structural change at surfaces away from the interface. Normal mode analysis and available information on functions on some of these complexes suggests that many of these changes are allosteric. This change is largely manifest in the proteins whose interfaces are altered upon binding, implicating structural change as the possible trigger of allosteric effect. Although large-scale studies of allostery induced by small-molecule effectors are available in literature, this is, to our knowledge, the first study indicating the prevalence of allostery induced by protein effectors.

CONCLUSIONS

The enrichment of allosteric sites in signalling proteins, whose mutations commonly lead to diseases such as cancer, provides support for the usage of allosteric modulators in combating these diseases.

Effect of DNA binding on geminate CO recombination kinetics in CO-sensing transcription factor CooA

Carbon monoxide oxidation activator (CooA) proteins are heme-based CO-sensing transcription factors. Here we study the ultrafast dynamics of geminate CO rebinding in two CooA homologues, Rhodospirillum rubrum (RrCooA) and Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans (ChCooA). The effects of DNA binding and the truncation of the DNA-binding domain on the CO geminate recombination kinetics were specifically investigated. The CO rebinding kinetics in these CooA complexes take place on ultrafast time scales but remain non-exponential over many decades in time. We show that this non-exponential kinetic response is due to a quenched enthalpic barrier distribution resulting from a distribution of heme geometries that is frozen or slowly evolving on the time scale of CO rebinding. We also show that, upon CO binding, the distal pocket of the heme in the CooA proteins relaxes to form a very efficient hydrophobic trap for CO. DNA binding further tightens the narrow distal pocket and slightly weakens the iron-proximal histidine bond. Comparison of the CO rebinding kinetics of RrCooA, truncated RrCooA, and DNA-bound RrCooA proteins reveals that the uncomplexed and inherently flexible DNA-binding domain adds additional structural heterogeneity to the heme doming coordinate. When CooA forms a complex with DNA, the flexibility of the DNA-binding domain decreases, and the distribution of the conformations available in the heme domain becomes restricted. The kinetic studies also offer insights into how the architecture of the heme environment can tune entropic barriers in order to control the geminate recombination of CO in heme proteins, whereas spin selection rules play a minor or non-existent role.

Metal site occupancy and allosteric switching in bacterial metal sensor proteins

All prokaryotes encode a panel of metal sensor or metalloregulatory proteins that govern the expression of genes that allows an organism to quickly adapt to toxicity or deprivation of both biologically essential transition metal ions, e.g., Zn, Cu, Fe, and heavy metal pollutants. As such, metal sensor proteins can be considered arbiters of intracellular transition metal bioavailability and thus potentially control the metallation state of the metalloproteins in the cell. Metal sensor proteins are specialized allosteric proteins that regulate transcription as a result direct binding of one or two cognate metal ions, to the exclusion of all others. In most cases, the binding of the cognate metal ion induces a structural change in a protein oligomer that either activates or inhibits operator DNA binding. A quantitative measure of the degree to which a particular metal drives metalloregulation of operator DNA-binding is the allosteric coupling free energy, ΔGc. In this review, we summarize recent work directed toward understanding metal occupancy and metal selectivity of these allosteric switches in selected families of metal sensor proteins and examine the structural origins of ΔGc in the functional context a thermodynamic "set-point" model of intracellular metal homeostasis.

Structure-based model of allostery predicts coupling between distant sites

Allostery is a phenomenon that couples effector ligand binding at an allosteric site to a structural and/or dynamic change at a distant regulated site. To study an allosteric transition, we vary the size of the allosteric site and its interactions to construct a series of energy landscapes with pronounced minima corresponding to both the effector bound and unbound crystal structures. We use molecular dynamics to sample these landscapes. The degree of perturbation by the effector, modeled by the size of the allosteric site, provides an order parameter for allostery that allows us to determine how microscopic motions give rise to commonly discussed macroscopic mechanisms: (i) induced fit, (ii) population shift, and (iii) entropy driven. These mechanisms involve decreasing structural differences between the effector bound and unbound populations. A metric (ligand-induced cooperativity) can measure how cooperatively a given regulated site responds to effector binding and therefore what kind of allosteric mechanism is involved. We apply the model to three proteins with experimentally characterized transitions: (i) calmodulin-GFP Ca(2+) sensor protein, (ii) maltose binding protein, and (iii) CSL transcription factor. Remarkably, the model is able to reproduce allosteric motion and predict coupling in a manner consistent with experiment.

Agonism/antagonism switching in allosteric ensembles

Ligands for several transcription factors can act as agonists under some conditions and antagonists under others. The structural and molecular bases of such effects are unknown. Previously, we demonstrated how the folding of intrinsically disordered (ID) protein sequences, in particular, and population shifts, in general, could be used to mediate allosteric coupling between different functional domains, a model that has subsequently been validated in several systems. Here it is shown that population redistribution within allosteric systems can be used as a mechanism to tune protein ensembles such that a given ligand can act as both an agonist and an antagonist. Importantly, this mechanism can be robustly encoded in the ensemble, and does not require that the interactions between the ligand and the protein differ when it is acting either as an agonist or an antagonist. Instead, the effect is due to the relative probabilities of states prior to the addition of the ligand. The ensemble view of allostery that is illuminated by these studies suggests that rather than being seen as switches with fixed responses to allosteric activation, ensembles can evolve to be "functionally pluripotent," with the capacity to up or down regulate activity in response to a stimulus. This result not only helps to explain the prevalence of intrinsic disorder in transcription factors and other cell signaling proteins, it provides important insights about the energetic ground rules governing site-to-site communication in all allosteric systems.

Discovery of intramolecular signal transduction network based on a new protein dynamics model of energy dissipation

A novel approach to reveal intramolecular signal transduction network is proposed in this work. To this end, a new algorithm of network construction is developed, which is based on a new protein dynamics model of energy dissipation. A key feature of this approach is that direction information is specified after inferring protein residue-residue interaction network involved in the process of signal transduction. This enables fundamental analysis of the regulation hierarchy and identification of regulation hubs of the signaling network. A well-studied allosteric enzyme, E. coli aspartokinase III, is used as a model system to demonstrate the new method. Comparison with experimental results shows that the new approach is able to predict all the sites that have been experimentally proved to desensitize allosteric regulation of the enzyme. In addition, the signal transduction network shows a clear preference for specific structural regions, secondary structural types and residue conservation. Occurrence of super-hubs in the network indicates that allosteric regulation tends to gather residues with high connection ability to collectively facilitate the signaling process. Furthermore, a new parameter of propagation coefficient is defined to determine the propagation capability of residues within a signal transduction network. In conclusion, the new approach is useful for fundamental understanding of the process of intramolecular signal transduction and thus has significant impact on rational design of novel allosteric proteins.

The projection analysis of NMR chemical shifts reveals extended EPAC autoinhibition determinants

EPAC is a cAMP-dependent guanine nucleotide exchange factor that serves as a prototypical molecular switch for the regulation of essential cellular processes. Although EPAC activation by cAMP has been extensively investigated, the mechanism of EPAC autoinhibition is still not fully understood. The steric clash between the side chains of two conserved residues, L273 and F300 in EPAC1, has been previously shown to oppose the inactive-to-active conformational transition in the absence of cAMP. However, it has also been hypothesized that autoinhibition is assisted by entropic losses caused by quenching of dynamics that occurs if the inactive-to-active transition takes place in the absence of cAMP. Here, we test this hypothesis through the comparative NMR analysis of several EPAC1 mutants that target different allosteric sites of the cAMP-binding domain (CBD). Using what to our knowledge is a novel projection analysis of NMR chemical shifts to probe the effect of the mutations on the autoinhibition equilibrium of the CBD, we find that whenever the apo/active state is stabilized relative to the apo/inactive state, dynamics are consistently quenched in a conserved loop (β2-β3) and helix (α5) of the CBD. Overall, our results point to the presence of conserved and nondegenerate determinants of CBD autoinhibition that extends beyond the originally proposed L273/F300 residue pair, suggesting that complete activation necessitates the simultaneous suppression of multiple autoinhibitory mechanisms, which in turn confers added specificity for the cAMP allosteric effector.

Dynamical allosterism in the mechanism of action of DNA mismatch repair protein MutS

The multidomain protein Thermus aquaticus MutS and its prokaryotic and eukaryotic homologs recognize DNA replication errors and initiate mismatch repair. MutS actions are fueled by ATP binding and hydrolysis, which modulate its interactions with DNA and other proteins in the mismatch-repair pathway. The DNA binding and ATPase activities are allosterically coupled over a distance of ∼70 Å, and the molecular mechanism of coupling has not been clarified. To address this problem, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of ∼150 ns including explicit solvent were performed on two key complexes--ATP-bound and ATP-free MutS⋅DNA(+T bulge). We used principal component analysis in fluctuation space to assess ATP ligand-induced changes in MutS structure and dynamics. The molecular dynamics-calculated ensembles of thermally accessible structures showed markedly small differences between the two complexes. However, analysis of the covariance of dynamical fluctuations revealed a number of potentially significant interresidue and interdomain couplings. Moreover, principal component analysis revealed clusters of correlated atomic fluctuations linking the DNA and nucleotide binding sites, especially in the ATP-bound MutS⋅DNA(+T) complex. These results support the idea that allosterism between the nucleotide and DNA binding sites in MutS can occur via ligand-induced changes in motion, i.e., dynamical allosterism.

Protein function and allostery: a dynamic relationship

Allostery is a fundamental process by which distant sites within a protein system sense each other. Allosteric regulation is such an efficient mechanism that it is used to control protein activity in most biological processes, including signal transduction, metabolism, catalysis, and gene regulation. Over recent years, our view and understanding of the fundamental principles underlying allostery have been enriched and often utterly reshaped. This has been especially so for powerful techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which offers an atomic view of the intrinsic motions of proteins. Here, I discuss recent results on the catabolite activator protein (CAP) that have drastically revised our view about how allosteric interactions are modulated. CAP has provided the first experimentally identified system showing that (i) allostery can be mediated through changes in protein motions, in the absence of changes in the mean structure of the protein, and (ii) favorable changes in protein motions may activate allosteric proteins that are otherwise structurally inactive.

Second-contact shell mutation diminishes streptavidin-biotin binding affinity through transmitted effects on equilibrium dynamics

We report a point mutation in the second contact shell of the high-affinity streptavidin-biotin complex that appears to reduce binding affinity through transmitted effects on equilibrium dynamics. The Y54F streptavidin mutation causes a 75-fold loss of binding affinity with 73-fold faster dissociation, a large loss of binding enthalpy (ΔΔH = 3.4 kcal/mol at 37 °C), and a small gain in binding entropy (TΔΔS = 0.7 kcal/mol). The removed Y54 hydroxyl is replaced by a water molecule in the bound structure, but there are no observable changes in structure in the first contact shell and no additional changes surrounding the mutation. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal a large increase in the atomic fluctuation amplitudes for W79, a key biotin contact residue, compared to the fluctuation amplitudes in the wild-type. The increased W79 atomic fluctuation amplitudes are caused by loss of water-mediated hydrogen bonds between the Y54 hydroxyl group and peptide backbone atoms in and near W79. We propose that the increased atomic fluctuation amplitudes diminish the integrity of the W79-biotin interaction and represents a loosening of the "tryptophan collar" that is critical to the slow dissociation and high affinity of streptavidin-biotin binding. These results illustrate how changes in protein dynamics distal to the ligand binding pocket can have a profound impact on ligand binding, even when equilibrium structure is unperturbed.

Allosteric coupling between transition metal-binding sites in homooligomeric metal sensor proteins

Intracellular concentrations of transition metal ions are controlled at the transcriptional level by a panel of metalloregulatory proteins that collectively allow the cell to respond to changes in bioavailable metal concentration to elicit the appropriate cellular response, e.g., upregulation of genes coding for metal export or detoxification proteins in the event of metal excess. These proteins represent a specialized class of allosteric regulators that are ideal for studying ligand-mediated allostery in a comprehensive way due to the size, stability, reactivity, and the spectroscopic properties of transition metal ions as allosteric ligands. In addition to the commonly studied heterotropic regulation of metal binding and DNA binding, many of these proteins exhibit homotropic allostery, i.e., communication between two or more identical metal (ligand) binding sites on an oligomer. This chapter aims to guide the reader through the design and execution of experiments that allow quantification of the thermodynamic driving forces (ΔG (C), ΔH (C), and ΔS (C)) that govern both homotropic and heterotropic allosteric interactions in metal sensor proteins as well as the steps required to remove the influence of complex speciation from the measured parameter values.

Allostery and binding cooperativity of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A by NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations

The catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA-C) is an exquisite example of a single molecule allosteric enzyme, where classical and modern views of allosteric signaling merge. In this chapter, we describe the mapping of PKA-C conformational dynamics and allosteric signaling in the free and bound states using a combination of NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. We show that ligand binding affects the enzyme's conformational dynamics, shaping the free-energy landscape toward the next stage of the catalytic cycle. While nucleotide and substrate binding enhance the enzyme's conformational entropy and define dynamically committed states, inhibitor binding attenuates the internal dynamics in favor of enthalpic interactions and delineates dynamically quenched states. These studies support a central role of conformational dynamics in many aspects of enzymatic turnover and suggest future avenues for controlling enzymatic function.

Using a combination of computational and experimental techniques to understand the molecular basis for protein allostery

Allostery is the process by which remote sites of a system are energetically coupled to elicit a functional response. The early models of allostery such as the Monod-Wyman-Changeux model and the Koshland-Némethy-Filmer model explain the allosteric behavior of multimeric proteins. However, these models do not explain how allostery arises from atomic level in detail. Recent developments in computational methods and experimental techniques have led the beginning of a new age in studying allostery. The combination of computational methods and experiments is a powerful research approach to help answering questions regarding allosteric mechanism at atomic resolution. In this review, three case studies are discussed to illustrate how this combined approach helps to increase our understanding of protein allostery.

Energetics of cyclic AMP binding to HCN channel C terminus reveal negative cooperativity

Cyclic AMP binds to the HCN channel C terminus and variably stabilizes its open state. Using isothermal titration calorimetry, we show that cAMP binds to one subunit of tetrameric HCN2 and HCN4 C termini with high affinity (∼0.12 μM) and subsequently with low affinity (∼1 μM) to the remaining three subunits. Changes induced by high affinity binding already exist in both a constrained HCN2 tetramer and the unconstrained HCN1 tetramer. Natural "preactivation" of HCN1 may explain both the smaller effect of cAMP on stabilizing its open state and the opening of unliganded HCN1, which occurs as though already disinhibited.

Computational studies of LXR molecular interactions reveal an allosteric communication pathway

The liver X receptor, LXRα, is an important regulator of genes involved in metabolism and inflammation. The mechanism of communication between the cofactor peptide and the ligand in the ligand-binding pocket is a crucial and often discussed issue for the nuclear receptors (NRs), but such allosteric signaling pathways are difficult to detect and the transmission mechanism remains elusive. Here, we apply the anisotropic thermal diffusion method to the LXRα with bound coactivator and ligand. We detected a possible communication pathway between the coactivator peptide and the ligand. The signal is transmitted both through the receptor backbone and side chains. A key signaling residue is the first leucine in the cofactor peptide recognition motif LXXLL, which is conserved within the NR cofactors, suggesting a general mechanism for allosteric signaling. Furthermore, we studied the LXR receptor and cofactor molecular interactions in detail using molecular dynamics simulations. The protein-protein interaction patterns in the complexes of nine different cofactor peptides and holo-LXRα were characterized, revealing the importance of the receptor-cofactor charge clamp interaction. Specific, but infrequently occurring interactions were observed toward the cofactor peptide C-terminal residues. Thus, additional specificity between LXRα and its cofactors is likely to be found in molecular interactions outside the cofactor peptide or in other biological factors.

Change in allosteric network affects binding affinities of PDZ domains: analysis through perturbation response scanning

The allosteric mechanism plays a key role in cellular functions of several PDZ domain proteins (PDZs) and is directly linked to pharmaceutical applications; however, it is a challenge to elaborate the nature and extent of these allosteric interactions. One solution to this problem is to explore the dynamics of PDZs, which may provide insights about how intramolecular communication occurs within a single domain. Here, we develop an advancement of perturbation response scanning (PRS) that couples elastic network models with linear response theory (LRT) to predict key residues in allosteric transitions of the two most studied PDZs (PSD-95 PDZ3 domain and hPTP1E PDZ2 domain). With PRS, we first identify the residues that give the highest mean square fluctuation response upon perturbing the binding sites. Strikingly, we observe that the residues with the highest mean square fluctuation response agree with experimentally determined residues involved in allosteric transitions. Second, we construct the allosteric pathways by linking the residues giving the same directional response upon perturbation of the binding sites. The predicted intramolecular communication pathways reveal that PSD-95 and hPTP1E have different pathways through the dynamic coupling of different residue pairs. Moreover, our analysis provides a molecular understanding of experimentally observed hidden allostery of PSD-95. We show that removing the distal third alpha helix from the binding site alters the allosteric pathway and decreases the binding affinity. Overall, these results indicate that (i) dynamics plays a key role in allosteric regulations of PDZs, (ii) the local changes in the residue interactions can lead to significant changes in the dynamics of allosteric regulations, and (iii) this might be the mechanism that each PDZ uses to tailor their binding specificities regulation.

PDZ domain proteins (PDZs) act as adapters in organizing functional protein complexes. Through dynamic interactions, PDZs play a key role in mediating key cellular functions in the cell, and they are linked to currently challenging diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cancer. Moreover, they are associated with allosteric regulations in mediating signaling. Therefore, it is critical to have knowledge of how the allosteric transition occurs in PDZs. We investigate the allosteric response of the two most studied PDZs, PSD-95 and hPTP1E, using the perturbation response scanning (PRS) approach. The method treats the protein as an elastic network and uses linear response theory (LRT) to obtain residue fluctuations upon exerting directed random forces on selected residues. With this efficient and fast approach, we identify the key residues that mediate long-range communication and find the allosteric pathways. Although the structures of PSD-95 and hPTP1E are very similar, our analysis predicts that their allosteric pathways are different. We also observe a significant change in allosteric pathways and a decrease in binding affinity upon removal of the distal α3 helix of PSD-95. This approach enables us to understand how dynamic interactions play an important role in allosteric regulations.

Allosteric activation via kinetic control: potassium accelerates a conformational change in IMP dehydrogenase

Allosteric activators are generally believed to shift the equilibrium distribution of enzyme conformations to favor a catalytically productive structure; the kinetics of conformational exchange is seldom addressed. Several observations suggested that the usual allosteric mechanism might not apply to the activation of IMP dehydrogenase (IMPDH) by monovalent cations. Therefore, we investigated the mechanism of K(+) activation in IMPDH by delineating the kinetic mechanism in the absence of monovalent cations. Surprisingly, the K(+) dependence of k(cat) derives from the rate of flap closure, which increases by ≥65-fold in the presence of K(+). We performed both alchemical free energy simulations and potential of mean force calculations using the orthogonal space random walk strategy to computationally analyze how K(+) accelerates this conformational change. The simulations recapitulate the preference of IMPDH for K(+), validating the computational models. When K(+) is replaced with a dummy ion, the residues of the K(+) binding site relax into ordered secondary structure, creating a barrier to conformational exchange. K(+) mobilizes these residues by providing alternate interactions for the main chain carbonyls. Potential of mean force calculations indicate that K(+) changes the shape of the energy well, shrinking the reaction coordinate by shifting the closed conformation toward the open state. This work suggests that allosteric regulation can be under kinetic as well as thermodynamic control.

Gene-specific transcription activation via long-range allosteric shape-shifting

How is specificity transmitted over long distances at the molecular level? REs (regulatory elements) are often far from transcription start sites. In the present review we discuss possible mechanisms to explain how information from specific REs is conveyed to the basal transcription machinery through TFs (transcription factors) and the Mediator complex. We hypothesize that this occurs through allosteric pathways: binding of a TF to a RE results in changes in the AD (activation domain) of the TF, which binds to Mediator and alters the distribution of the Mediator conformations, thereby affecting transcription initiation/activation. We argue that Mediator is formed by highly disordered proteins with large densely packed interfaces that make efficient long-range signal propagation possible. We suggest two possible general mechanisms for Mediator action: one in which Mediator influences PIC (pre-initiation complex) assembly and transcription initiation, and another in which Mediator exerts its effect on the already assembled but stalled transcription complex. We summarize (i) relevant information from the literature about Mediator composition, organization and structure; (ii) Mediator interaction partners and their effect on Mediator conformation, function and correlation to the RNA Pol II (polymerase II) CTD (C-terminal domain) phosphorylation; and (iii) propose that different allosteric signal propagation pathways in Mediator relate to PIC assembly and polymerase activation of the stalled transcription complex. The emerging picture provides for the first time a mechanistic view of allosteric signalling from the RE sequence to transcription activation, and an insight into how gene specificity and signal transmission can take place in transcription initiation.

Long-range intra-protein communication can be transmitted by correlated side-chain fluctuations alone

Allosteric regulation is a key component of cellular communication, but the way in which information is passed from one site to another within a folded protein is not often clear. While backbone motions have long been considered essential for long-range information conveyance, side-chain motions have rarely been considered. In this work, we demonstrate their potential utility using Monte Carlo sampling of side-chain torsional angles on a fixed backbone to quantify correlations amongst side-chain inter-rotameric motions. Results indicate that long-range correlations of side-chain fluctuations can arise independently from several different types of interactions: steric repulsions, implicit solvent interactions, or hydrogen bonding and salt-bridge interactions. These robust correlations persist across the entire protein (up to 60 Å in the case of calmodulin) and can propagate long-range changes in side-chain variability in response to single residue perturbations.

Allosteric regulation occurs when the function of one part of a protein changes in response to a signal recognized by another part of the protein. Such intra-protein communication is essential for many biochemical processes, allowing the cell to adapt its behavior to a dynamic environment. Most studies of the information conveyance underlying allostery have to date focused on the role of backbone motions in mediating large structural changes. Here we focus instead on more subtle contributions, arising from fluctuations of side-chain torsions. Using a model for side-chain bond rotations in the tightly packed environment imposed by native backbone conformations, we observed significant sensitivity of side-chain organization to small, localized perturbations. This susceptibility arises from correlations among side-chain motions that can propagate information within a protein in complex, heterogeneous ways. Specifically, we found appreciable correlations even between side-chains distant from one another, so that the effect of a minor perturbation at one site on the protein could be observed in the altered fluctuations of side-chains throughout the protein. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that the statistical mechanics of correlated side-chain fluctuations within a model of the folded protein provides the basis for an unconventional but potentially important means of allostery.

Binding leverage as a molecular basis for allosteric regulation

Allosteric regulation involves conformational transitions or fluctuations between a few closely related states, caused by the binding of effector molecules. We introduce a quantity called binding leverage that measures the ability of a binding site to couple to the intrinsic motions of a protein. We use Monte Carlo simulations to generate potential binding sites and either normal modes or pairs of crystal structures to describe relevant motions. We analyze single catalytic domains and multimeric allosteric enzymes with complex regulation. For the majority of the analyzed proteins, we find that both catalytic and allosteric sites have high binding leverage. Furthermore, our analysis of the catabolite activator protein, which is allosteric without conformational change, shows that its regulation involves other types of motion than those modulated at sites with high binding leverage. Our results point to the importance of incorporating dynamic information when predicting functional sites. Because it is possible to calculate binding leverage from a single crystal structure it can be used for characterizing proteins of unknown function and predicting latent allosteric sites in any protein, with implications for drug design.

Allosteric protein regulation is the mechanism by which binding of a molecule to one site in a protein affects the activity at another site. Although the two classical phenomenological models, Monod-Wyman-Changeux (MWC) and Koshland-Némethy-Filmer (KNF), span from the case of hemoglobin to membrane receptors, they do not describe the intramolecular interactions involved. The coupling between two allosterically connected sites commonly takes place through coherent collective motion involving the whole protein. We therefore introduce a quantity called binding leverage to measure the strength of the coupling between particular binding sites and such motions. We show that high binding leverage is a characteristic of both allosteric sites and catalytic sites, emphasizing that both enzymatic function and allosteric regulation require a coupling between ligand binding and protein dynamics. We also consider the first known case of purely entropic allostery, where ligand binding only affects the amplitudes of fluctuations. We find that the binding site in this protein does not primarily connect to collective motions – instead the modulation of fluctuations is controlled from a deeply buried and highly connected site. Finally, sites with high binding leverage but no known biological function could be latent allosteric sites, and thus drug targets.

Mathematical treatment of adiabatic fast passage pulses for the computation of nuclear spin relaxation rates in proteins with conformational exchange

Although originally designed for broadband inversion and decoupling in NMR spectroscopy, recent methodological developments have introduced adiabatic fast passage (AFP) pulses into the field of protein dynamics. AFP pulses employ a frequency sweep, and have not only superior inversion properties with respect to offset effects, but they are also easily implemented into a pulse sequence. As magnetization is dragged from the +z to the -z direction, Larmor precession is impeded since magnetization becomes spin-locked, which is a potentially useful feature for the investigation of microsecond to millisecond dynamics. A major drawback of these pulses as theoretical prediction is concerned, however, results from their time-dependent offset: simulations of spin density matrices under the influence of a time-dependent Hamiltonian with non-commuting elements are costly in terms of computational time, rendering data analysis impracticable. In this paper we suggest several ways to reduce the computational time without compromising accuracy with respect to effects such as cross-correlated relaxation and modulation of the chemical shift.

Roles of hinge region, loops 3 and 4 in the activation of Escherichia coli cyclic AMP receptor protein

The cAMP receptor protein (CRP) requires cAMP for an allosteric change and regulates more than 150 genes in Escherichia coli. In this study, the modular half of cAMP receptor protein was used to investigate the allosteric signal transmission pathway induced by cAMP binding. The activation of CRP upon cAMP binding is indicated to be realignment of the two subunits within the CRP dimer. The interaction of loop 3 and Phe136 do not involve in signal transmission.

Flexibility of the C-terminal, or CII, ring of KaiC governs the rhythm of the circadian clock of cyanobacteria

In the cyanobacterial circadian oscillator, KaiA and KaiB alternately stimulate autophosphorylation and autodephosphorylation of KaiC with a periodicity of approximately 24 h. KaiA activates autophosphorylation by selectively capturing the A loops of KaiC in their exposed positions. The A loops and sites of phosphorylation, residues S431 and T432, are located in the CII ring of KaiC. We find that the flexibility of the CII ring governs the rhythm of KaiC autophosphorylation and autodephosphorylation and is an example of dynamics-driven protein allostery. KaiA-induced autophosphorylation requires flexibility of the CII ring. In contrast, rigidity is required for KaiC-KaiB binding, which induces a conformational change in KaiB that enables it to sequester KaiA by binding to KaiA's linker. Autophosphorylation of the S431 residues around the CII ring stabilizes the CII ring, making it rigid. In contrast, autophosphorylation of the T432 residues offsets phospho-S431-induced rigidity to some extent. In the presence of KaiA and KaiB, the dynamic states of the CII ring of KaiC executes the following circadian rhythm: CII STflexible → CIISpTflexible → CIIpSpTrigid → CIIpSTvery-rigid → CIISTflexible. Apparently, these dynamic states govern the pattern of phosphorylation, ST → SpT → pSpT → pST → ST. CII-CI ring-on-ring stacking is observed when the CII ring is rigid, suggesting a mechanism through which the ATPase activity of the CI ring is rhythmically controlled. SasA, a circadian clock-output protein, binds to the CI ring. Thus, rhythmic ring stacking may also control clock-output pathways.

Interaction of thrombin with sucrose octasulfate

The serine protease thrombin plays multiple roles in many important physiological processes, especially coagulation, where it functions as both a pro- and anticoagulant. The polyanionic glycosaminoglycan heparin modulates thrombin's activity through binding at exosite II. Sucrose octasulfate (SOS) is often used as a surrogate for heparin, but it is not known whether it is an effective heparin mimic in its interaction with thrombin. We have characterized the interaction of SOS with thrombin in solution and determined a crystal structure of their complex. SOS binds thrombin with a K(d) of ~1.4 μM, comparable to that of the much larger polymeric heparin measured under the same conditions. Nonionic (hydrogen bonding) interactions make a larger contribution to thrombin binding of SOS than to heparin. SOS binding to exosite II inhibits thrombin's catalytic activity with high potency but with low efficacy. Analytical ultracentrifugation shows that bovine and human thrombins are monomers in solution in the presence of SOS, in contrast to their complexes with heparin, which are dimers. In the X-ray crystal structure, two molecules of SOS are bound nonequivalently to exosite II portions of a thrombin dimer, in contrast to the 1:2 stoichiometry of the heparin-thrombin complex, which has a different monomer association mode in the dimer. SOS and heparin binding to exosite II of thrombin differ on both chemical and structural levels and, perhaps most significantly, in thrombin inhibition. These differences may offer paths to the design of more potent exosite II binding, allosteric small molecules as modulators of thrombin function.

Heat maps for intramolecular communication in an RNP enzyme encoding glutamine

Allosteric signaling within large ribonucleoproteins modulates both catalytic function and biological specificity, but the spatial extent and quantitative magnitudes of long-distance free-energy couplings have yet to be well characterized. Here, we employ pre-steady-state kinetics to generate a comprehensive mapping of intramolecular communication in the glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase:tRNA(Gln) complex. Alanine substitution at 29 positions across the protein-RNA interface reveals distinct coupling amplitudes for glutamine binding and aminoacyl-tRNA formation on the enzyme, respectively, implying the existence of multiple signaling pathways. Structural models suggest that long-range signal propagation from the tRNA anticodon is dynamically driven, whereas shorter pathways are mediated by induced-fit rearrangements. Seven protein contacts with the distal tRNA vertical arm each weaken glutamine binding affinity across distances up to 40 Å, demonstrating that negative allosteric coupling plays a key role in enforcing the selective RNA-amino acid pairing at the heart of the genetic code.

Sequence-specific long range networks in PSD-95/discs large/ZO-1 (PDZ) domains tune their binding selectivity

Protein-protein interactions mediated by modular protein domains are critical for cell scaffolding, differentiation, signaling, and ultimately, evolution. Given the vast number of ligands competing for binding to a limited number of domain families, it is often puzzling how specificity can be achieved. Selectivity may be modulated by intradomain allostery, whereby a remote residue is energetically connected to the functional binding site via side chain or backbone interactions. Whereas several energetic pathways, which could mediate intradomain allostery, have been predicted in modular protein domains, there is a paucity of experimental data to validate their existence and roles. Here, we have identified such functional energetic networks in one of the most common protein-protein interaction modules, the PDZ domain. We used double mutant cycles involving site-directed mutagenesis of both the PDZ domain and the peptide ligand, in conjunction with kinetics to capture the fine energetic details of the networks involved in peptide recognition. We performed the analysis on two homologous PDZ-ligand complexes and found that the energetically coupled residues differ for these two complexes. This result demonstrates that amino acid sequence rather than topology dictates the allosteric pathways. Furthermore, our data support a mechanism whereby the whole domain and not only the binding pocket is optimized for a specific ligand. Such cross-talk between binding sites and remote residues may be used to fine tune target selectivity.

Dynamic protein-DNA recognition: beyond what can be seen

Traditionally, specific DNA recognition is thought to rely on static contacts with the bases or phosphates. Recent results, however, indicate that residues far outside the binding context can crucially influence selectivity or binding affinity via transient, dynamic interactions with the DNA binding interface. These regions usually do not adopt a well-defined structure, even when bound to DNA, and thus form a fuzzy complex. Here, we propose the existence of a dynamic DNA readout mechanism, wherein distant segments modulate conformational preferences, flexibility or spacing of the DNA binding motifs or serve as competitive partners. Despite their low sequence similarity, these intrinsically disordered regions are often conserved at the structural level, and exploited for regulation of the transcription machinery via protein-protein interactions, post-translational modifications or alternative splicing.

Computational methods for identifying a layered allosteric regulatory mechanism for ALS-causing mutations of Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase 1

The most prominent form of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease) is caused by mutations of Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). SOD1 maintains antioxidant activity under fALS causing mutations, suggesting that the mutations introduce a new, toxic, function. There are 100+ such known mutations that are chemically diverse and spatially distributed across the structure. The common phenotype leads us to propose an allosteric regulatory mechanism hypothesis: SOD1 mutants alter the correlated dynamics of the structure and differentially signal across an inherent allosteric network, thereby driving the disease mechanism at varying rates of efficiency. Two recently developed computational methods for identifying allosteric control sites are applied to the wild type crystal structure, 4 fALS mutant crystal structures, 20 computationally generated fALS mutants and 1 computationally generated non-fALS mutant. The ensemble of mutant structures is used to generate an ensemble of dynamics, from which two allosteric control networks are identified. One network is connected to the catalytic site and thus may be involved in the natural antioxidant function. The second allosteric control network has a locus bordering the dimer interface and thus may serve as a mechanism to modulate dimer stability. Though the toxic function of mutated SOD1 is unknown and likely due to several contributing factors, this study explains how diverse mutations give rise to a common function. This new paradigm for allostery controlled function has broad implications across allosteric systems and may lead to the identification of the key chemical activity of SOD1-linked ALS.

Crystal structure of unliganded TRAP: implications for dynamic allostery

Allostery is vital to the function of many proteins. In some cases, rather than a direct steric effect, mutual modulation of ligand binding at spatially separated sites may be achieved through a change in protein dynamics. Thus changes in vibrational modes of the protein, rather than conformational changes, allow different ligand sites to communicate. Evidence for such an effect has been found in TRAP (trp RNA-binding attenuation protein), a regulatory protein found in species of Bacillus. TRAP is part of a feedback system to modulate expression of the trp operon, which carries genes involved in tryptophan synthesis. Negative feedback is thought to depend on binding of tryptophan-bound, but not unbound, TRAP to a specific mRNA leader sequence. We find that, contrary to expectations, at low temperatures TRAP is able to bind RNA in the absence of tryptophan, and that this effect is particularly strong in the case of Bacillus stearothermophilus TRAP. We have solved the crystal structure of this protein with no tryptophan bound, and find that much of the structure shows little deviation from the tryptophan-bound form. These data support the idea that tryptophan may exert its effect on RNA binding by TRAP through dynamic and not structural changes, and that tryptophan binding may be mimicked by low temperature.

Role of fluctuations in ligand binding cooperativity of membrane receptors

Signal transduction upon binding of a ligand to a membrane protein can occur not only via allosteric conformational changes but also through fluctuations. We report a numerical study on the influence of conformational fluctuations on the cooperativity of a binding reaction in a simple model of an integral membrane receptor consisting of transmembrane helices. We find that small fluctuations lateral as well as perpendicular to the membrane can increase the cooperativity, with the former more dominant. Moreover, too much fluctuation induces negative cooperativity. Proteins with fewer than four helices do not show positive cooperativity under any circumstances. This behavior is rather robust, and independent of the receptor topology or ligand size. Fluctuations measured in all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of a G-protein coupled receptor fall within the predicted region of maximum cooperativity.

NMR reveals novel mechanisms of protein activity regulation

NMR spectroscopy is one of the most powerful tools for the characterization of biomolecular systems. A unique aspect of NMR is its capacity to provide an integrated insight into both the structure and intrinsic dynamics of biomolecules. In addition, NMR can provide site-resolved information about the conformation entropy of binding, as well as about energetically excited conformational states. Recent advances have enabled the application of NMR for the characterization of supramolecular systems. A summary of mechanisms underpinning protein activity regulation revealed by the application of NMR spectroscopy in a number of biological systems studied in the lab is provided.

Dynamically committed, uncommitted, and quenched states encoded in protein kinase A revealed by NMR spectroscopy

Protein kinase A (PKA) is a ubiquitous phosphoryl transferase that mediates hundreds of cell signaling events. During turnover, its catalytic subunit (PKA-C) interconverts between three major conformational states (open, intermediate, and closed) that are dynamically and allosterically activated by nucleotide binding. We show that the structural transitions between these conformational states are minimal and allosteric dynamics encode the motions from one state to the next. NMR and molecular dynamics simulations define the energy landscape of PKA-C, with the substrate allowing the enzyme to adopt a broad distribution of conformations (dynamically committed state) and the inhibitors (high magnesium and pseudosubstrate) locking it into discrete minima (dynamically quenched state), thereby reducing the motions that allow turnover. These results unveil the role of internal dynamics in both kinase function and regulation.

Molecular evolution of protein conformational changes revealed by a network of evolutionarily coupled residues

An improved understanding of protein conformational changes has broad implications for elucidating the mechanisms of various biological processes and for the design of protein engineering experiments. Understanding rearrangements of residue interactions is a key component in the challenge of describing structural transitions. Evolutionary properties of protein sequences and structures are extensively studied; however, evolution of protein motions, especially with respect to interaction rearrangements, has yet to be explored. Here, we investigated the relationship between sequence evolution and protein conformational changes and discovered that structural transitions are encoded in amino acid sequences as coevolving residue pairs. Furthermore, we found that highly coevolving residues are clustered in the flexible regions of proteins and facilitate structural transitions by forming and disrupting their interactions cooperatively. Our results provide insight into the evolution of protein conformational changes and help to identify residues important for structural transitions.

Metalloregulatory proteins: metal selectivity and allosteric switching

Prokaryotic organisms have evolved the capacity to quickly adapt to a changing and challenging microenvironment in which the availability of both biologically required and non-essential transition metal ions can vary dramatically. In all bacteria, a panel of metalloregulatory proteins controls the expression of genes encoding membrane transporters and metal trafficking proteins that collectively manage metal homeostasis and resistance. These "metal sensors" are specialized allosteric proteins, in which the direct binding of a specific or small number of "cognate" metal ion(s) drives a conformational change in the regulator that allosterically activates or inhibits operator DNA binding, or alternatively, distorts the promoter structure thereby converting a poor promoter to a strong one. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the features that control metal specificity of the allosteric response in these systems, and the role that structure, thermodynamics and conformational dynamics play in mediating allosteric activation or inhibition of DNA binding.