Alternate morpheein forms of allosteric proteins as a target for the development of bioactive molecules

1. A method of identifying a compound that inhibits formation of an active form of a multimeric protein from a less active form of the multimeric protein by binding at a site other than an active site and/or an allosteric metal ion binding site of the multimeric protein comprising an assembly having a plurality of units, wherein each of said units comprises a first complementary surface and a second complementary surface and wherein the first complementary surface of one unit is associated with the second complementary surface of another unit, provided that the assembly is at least one of different quaternary isoforms, the method comprising: a) providing a multimeric protein with a biochemical function; (b) identifying a compound that binds to the multimeric protein; and (c) testing for the ability of the compound to affect the biochemical function in at least one assembly of the multimeric protein, wherein when a compound inhibits formation of the active form of the multimeric protein from the less active form of the multimeric protein by binding at a site other than an active site and/or metal ion binding site of the multimeric protein, the compound is identified as an inhibitor, further wherein said multimeric protein is selected from the group consisting of porphobilinogen synthase, a Class Ia ribonucleotide reductase, Pseudomonas aeruginosa GDP-Mannose dehydrogenase, Bacillus subtilis HPr, mammalian CoA transferase, purine nucleoside phosphorylase, and peroxiredoxins.

2. The method of claim 1 , said biochemical function of said multimeric protein correlates to a human disease or condition.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the effect of the compound on the biochemical function is selected from the group consisting of inhibition, binding, and allosteric effect.

4. A method of identifying an agent adapted to affect a multimeric protein by binding to a binding site other than an active site and/or an allosteric metal ion binding site of said multimeric protein, wherein the multimeric protein comprises an equilibrium of assembly states, each assembly having a plurality of units, wherein each of said units comprises a first complementary surface and a second complementary surface and wherein the first complementary surface of one unit is associated with the second complementary surface of another unit, provided that the assembly is at least one of different quaternary isoforms on condition that:

(i) one conformation of said units determines a first quaternary isoform but does not allow formation of other quaternary isoforms;

(ii) a different conformation of said units determines one of a different quaternary isoforms, but does not allow formation of the first quaternary isoform;

(iii) different quaternary isoforms comprising the different conformations of said units are in an equilibrium; and

(iv) the conformation of said different quaternary isoforms influences a function of said multimeric protein,

the method comprising:

providing a test agent;

providing the multimeric protein;

contacting the multimeric protein with the test agent under assay conditions; and

measuring the equilibrium of quaternary isoforms of the multimeric protein,

wherein the agent adapted to affect the multimeric protein is identified when it affects the multimeric protein by binding to a binding site other than an active site and/or an allosteric metal ion binding site of the multimeric protein and thereby affects the equilibrium of quaternary isoforms of the multimeric protein, wherein said multimeric protein is selected from the group consisting of porphobilinogen synthase, a Class Ia ribonucleotide reductase, Pseudomonas aeruginosa GDP-Mannose dehydrogenase, Bacillus subtilis HPr, mammalian CoA transferase, purine nucleoside phosphorylase, and peroxiredoxins.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the quaternary isoform is selected from the group consisting of a dimer, a trimer, a tetramer, a hexamer, and an octamer.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the agent is adapted to affect a biological function of said multimeric protein.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the agent is bound to a quaternary isoform having a lesser activity.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the agent inactivates the enzymatic activity of the multimeric protein.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the agent is an inhibitor which inhibits formation of an active form of the multimeric protein.