| Definition: A conversion interaction in which a set of physical entities, at least one being a macromolecule (protein, RNA, or DNA), aggregate via non-covalent interactions. One of the participants of a complexAssembly must be an instance of the class complex.
Comment: This class is also used to represent complex disassembly. The assembly or disassembly of a complex is often a spontaneous process, in which case the direction of the complexAssembly (toward either assembly or disassembly) should be specified via the SPONTANEOUS property.
Synonyms: aggregation, complex formation
Examples: Assembly of the TFB2 and TFB3 proteins into the TFIIH complex, and assembly of the ribosome through aggregation of its subunits.
Note: The following are not examples of complex assembly: Covalent phosphorylation of a protein (this is a biochemicalReaction); the TFIIH complex itself (this is an instance of the complex class, not the complexAssembly class). |