Conformational proofreading

Conformational proofreading or conformational selection is a general mechanism of molecular recognition systems, suggested by Yonatan Savir and Tsvi Tlusty, in which introducing an energetic barrier - such as a structural mismatch between a molecular recognizer and its target - enhances the recognition specificity and quality. Conformational proofreading does not require the consumption of energy and may therefore be used in any molecular recognition system. Conformational proofreading is especially useful in scenarios where the recognizer has to select the appropriate target among many similar competitors. Proteins evolve the capacity for conformational proofreading through fine-tuning their geometry, flexibility and chemical interactions with the target.