Ras activation by SOS: Allosteric regulation by altered fluctuation dynamics

Lars Iversen, Hsiung Lin Tu, Wan Chen Lin, Sune M. Christensen, Steven M. Abel, Jeff Iwig, Hung Jen Wu, Jodi Gureasko, Christopher Rhodes, Rebecca S. Petit, Scott D. Hansen, Peter Thill, Cheng Han Yu, Dimitrios Stamou, Arup K. Chakraborty, John Kuriyan, Jay T. Groves

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

110 Scopus citations

Abstract

Activation of the small guanosine triphosphatase H-Ras by the exchange factor Son of Sevenless (SOS) is an important hub for signal transduction. Multiple layers of regulation, through protein and membrane interactions, govern activity of SOS. We characterized the specific activity of individual SOS molecules catalyzing nucleotide exchange in H-Ras. Single-molecule kinetic traces revealed that SOS samples a broad distribution of turnover rates through stochastic fluctuations between distinct, long-lived (more than 100 seconds), functional states. The expected allosteric activation of SOS by Ras-guanosine triphosphate (GTP) was conspicuously absent in the mean rate. However, fluctuations into highly active states were modulated by Ras-GTP. This reveals a mechanism in which functional output may be determined by the dynamical spectrum of rates sampled by a small number of enzymes, rather than the ensemble average.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)50-54
Number of pages5
JournalScience
Volume345
Issue number6192
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Institutes of HealthP01 AI091580
National University of Singapore
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesP01AI091580

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