Imposing specificity by regulated localization (abstract only)
Mark Ptashne · 2001
Many biologically important enzymes — RNA polymerases, RNA splicing enzymes, ubiquinating enzymes, certain kinases and proteases — are “`regulated”' by being brought to one or another of many potential substrates by auxiliary docking proteins (e.g. transcriptional activators). These regulatory interactions require interactions between simple adhesive (but specific) surfaces. This kind of regulation is highly `evolvable' : new and expanded meanings to signals are readily generated by simple changes in protein surfaces.