allosteric
|al-lo-ster-ic|
🇺🇸
/ˌæləˈstɛrɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌæləˈstɪərɪk/
regulation by shape change
Etymology
'allosteric' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'allos' meaning 'other' and 'stereos' meaning 'solid' or 'shape'.
'allosteric' was coined in the 20th century to describe the regulation of proteins by molecules binding at sites other than the active site.
Initially, it referred to the concept of 'other shape', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'regulation of protein activity'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or denoting the alteration of the activity of a protein through the binding of an effector molecule at a specific site.
The enzyme's allosteric site allows it to be regulated by other molecules.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/06/29 04:51