Mechanical force generation by G proteins

GTP-hydrolyzing G proteins are molecular switches that play a critical role in cell signaling processes. Here we use molecular dynamics simulations to show that Ras, a monomeric G protein, can generate mechanical force upon hydrolysis. The generated force levels are comparable to those produced by ATP-hydrolyzing motor proteins, consistent with the structural similarities of the catalytic region of motor proteins and G proteins. The force transduction mechanism is based on an irreversible structural change, produced by the hydrolysis, which triggers thermal switching between force-generating substates through changes in the configurational space of the protein.