Biochemistry: ATP as a biological hydrotrope

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Avinash Patel - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Liliana Malinovska - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Shambaditya Saha - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Jie Wang - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Simon Alberti - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Yamuna Krishnan - , The University of Chicago (Author)
  • Anthony A. Hyman - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)

Abstract

Hydrotropes are small molecules that solubilize hydrophobic molecules in aqueous solutions. Typically, hydrotropes are amphiphilic molecules and differ from classical surfactants in that they have low cooperativity of aggregation and work at molar concentrations. Here, we show that adenosine triphosphate (ATP) has properties of a biological hydrotrope. It can both prevent the formation of and dissolve previously formed protein aggregates. This chemical property is manifested at physiological concentrations between 5 and 10 millimolar. Therefore, in addition to being an energy source for biological reactions, for which micromolar concentrations are sufficient, we propose that millimolar concentrations of ATP may act to keep proteins soluble. This may in part explain why ATP is maintained in such high concentrations in cells.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)753-756
Number of pages4
JournalScience
Volume356
Issue number6339
Publication statusPublished - 19 May 2017
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 28522535
ORCID /0000-0003-4017-6505/work/142253862

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