In: Biology
BioChemistry Problem
State whether the Hill Coefficient (N) is positive or negative? Explain your reasoning in each case.
(a) The protein has multiple subunits, each with a single ligand-binding site. Binding of ligand to one site increases the binding affinity of other sites for the ligand.
(b) The protein is a single polypeptide with two ligand-binding sites, site one causes a structural change that decreases affinity for the second ligand.
(c) A molecule binds to a protein and inhibits binding of the natural ligand.
(d) The protein has two subunits and as one ligand binds, the second binds with lower affinity.
Hill coefficient :- It is a measurement of cooperativity of substrate binding to the protein. It describe the fraction of macromolecules saturated by ligand.
When N value is greater than 1 suggest two or more binding sites present in the protein. That mean positive cooperativity present . And also shows positive cooperativity binding of one ligand facilitates binding of other ligand at other site of the multimeric receptor.
Answer with reason is as follows :-