Induced-fit movements in adenylate kinases

Abstract

Adenylate kinases have an M_r around 23 000 which classifies them among the smallest phosphoryl group transferring enzymes. In order to prevent phosphoryl transfer to water, i.e. hydrolysis, these enzymes undergo induced-fit motions on substrate binding and assemble/disassemble their catalytic centres during each reaction cycle. Details of these processes have been derived from several X-ray structure analyses. The disturbance of these analyses by crystal-packing effects is discussed.