Regulation | AAA-ATPases

The AAA (ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities) protein family encompasses a large group of enzymes in all domains of life. AAA proteins assemble into oligomeric rings and undergo conformational changes during nucleotide hydrolysis cycles, exerted by highly conserved ATPase modules. These changes typically direct unfolding or remodeling of bound substrate proteins. The functional versatility of AAA proteins is primarily based on additional recognition domains that allow each family member to interact with a distinct set of substrates. As a consequence, AAA proteins can mediate diverse processes such as protein unfolding and degradation, vesicle transport, organelle assembly, and membrane dynamics.