Biomolecular Association
An encounter complex between insulin monomers in the process of forming a dimer. Each monomer is comprised of an A-chain of peptides (purple and green) and a B-chain (red and blue). Joining or dividing two insulin monomers into a dimer involves intertwined changes in both the proteins’ folding and binding. There are multiple ways in which the monomers may alter their folds and bonds in order to reach the final dimer. Understanding these complex rearrangements is valuable because in the body, insulin monomers typically exist in bonded groups of two (dimers) or six (hexamers), but they dissociate into single monomers when delivered to the receptor.