The structural basis of eukaryotic chaperonin TRiC/CCT: Action and folding

Abstract

Accurate folding of proteins in living cells often requires the cooperative support of molecular chaperones. Eukaryotic group II chaperonin Tailless complex polypeptide 1-Ring Complex (TRiC) accomplishes this task by providing a folding chamber for the substrate that is regulated by an Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis-dependent cycle. Once delivered to and recognized by TRiC, the nascent substrate enters the folding chamber and undergoes folding and release in a stepwise manner. During the process, TRiC subunits and cochaperones such as prefoldin and phosducin-like proteins interact with the substrate to assist the overall folding process in a substrate-specific manner. Coevolution between the components is supposed to consult the binding specificity and ultimately expand the substrate repertoire assisted by the chaperone network. This review describes the TRiC chaperonin and the substrate folding process guided by the TRiC network in cooperation with cochaperones, specifically focusing on recent progress in structural analyses.

Keywords: Chaperonin; Protein folding; Structural biology; TRiC/CCT.