The conformational changes analysis of maltodextrin binding protein based on elastic network model.

Maltodextrin Binding Protein (MBP) has provided a model system for investigating open-closed conformation transition based on two coarse-grained elastic network models. GNM results show that the open and closed forms have the same motion hinge axes and the open-closed conformational transition mainly exhibits as a large movement of the N-domain. ANM calculation shows a transition from open/closed to closed/open, which is helpful for ligand binding or release. During the open-closed transition, the residues within the domains move in a highly coupled way, and this indicates that the hinge connecting the domains is flexible, while the domains themselves are rigid.