GroEL-assisted protein folding: Does it occur within the chaperonin inner cavity?

Abstract

The folding of protein molecules in the GroEL inner cavity under the cochaperonin GroES lid is widely accepted as a crucial event of GroEL-assisted protein folding. This review is focused on the data showing that GroEL-assisted protein folding may proceed out of the complex with the chaperonin. The models of GroEL-assisted protein folding assuming ligand-controlled dissociation of nonnative proteins from the GroEL surface and their folding in the bulk solution are also discussed. © 2009 by the authors.