How bacterial sensors flip an entropic switch to relay signals
A new study in the Journal of Molecular Biology reveals the molecular mechanism by which bacterial chemoreceptors transmit environmental signals. The research demonstrates that these transmembrane proteins function as coupled entropic switches. Rather than relying on large conformational changes, signal transmission is driven by shifts in protein dynamics and disorder, effectively propagating stimulus information through the receptor array to control flagellar motility and chemotaxis.
Why it might matter to you: This work provides a fundamental biophysical model for signal transduction that extends beyond bacterial systems. Understanding how allosteric regulation and protein dynamics govern cellular decision-making offers a fresh perspective on eukaryotic cell signaling pathways, including those involved in growth and differentiation. For researchers focused on cell membrane receptors and intracellular communication, these principles of entropic control could inform the study of receptor tyrosine kinases or G-protein coupled receptors in more complex organisms.
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