Importance Of Protein-Protein Interaction

Protein-protein interaction refers to the physical contact between two or more proteins that result in a biological function. These interaction often take the form of molecular machines that carry out a diverse number of essential physiochemical processes. Specific interactions between the proteins of host and pathogen forms the primary basis of infection. The proteins involved in such interactions are referred to as ‘host-pathogen interactomes’.

1.2.2 Significance of PPI:

Surface proteins of both the host and pathogen that are involved in such interaction play a key role in the initiation of infection. Such proteins, through interactions with each other are able to set up ‘communication lines’ between the host and the pathogen, these lines then deliver appropriate messages to both the interacting partners which enable them to carry out their respective roles in fighting off the infection and/or its initiation and spread. The types of proteins involved in interaction and those that help in setting up the interaction determine the type and prognosis of infection. Identification of host-pathogen PPI networks and an understanding of their ability to interact with other proteins can serve in the prediction and determination of potential drug targets.

Basic Principles of PPI:

Proteins serve a central role in all biological processes, essential for the continued growth and survival of an organism. An understanding of their involvement in a biological processes is an essential step in exposing the key features of that process so as to modulate it. The straight forward road to protein function prediction is through the identification of its interaction partner. The identification of protein-protein interaction partners can help assign these proteins their specific location and thus function in cellular pathways as well as their cross