Theory 38/Enzyme Kinetics
Allostery Is an Affinity Gap
The claim
The magnitude of allosteric activation is set by the ratio of ligand affinities between the two states rather than by the effector's own affinity.
01The mechanism
Allostery shifts the population between states; the shift is proportional to how differently the two states bind the effector, which is a ratio.
02Predictions
- P1Activation should track the affinity ratio.
- P2Effector affinity alone should mispredict.
03Refutation
Activation tracking effector affinity would remove the ratio.