PNNL

Abstract

We report a combined single-molecule fluorescence and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study of protein-protein interactions in a GTP-binding intracellular signaling protein Cdc42 in complex with a downstream effector protein WASP. A 13- kDa WASP fragment which binds only the activated GTP-loaded Cdc42 was labeled with a novel solvatochromic dye and used to probe hydrophobic interactions significant to Cdc42/WASP recognition. Our single-molecule fluorescence measurements have shown conformational fluctuations of the protein complex and suggested multiple conformational states at a wide range of time scales might be involved in protein interaction dynamics. Single-molecule experiments have revealed the dynamic disorder or protein-protein interactions within the Cdc42/WASP complex, which may be important for regulating downstream signaling events.