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Avidity
In biochemistry, avidity refers to the accumulated strength of multiple affinities of individual non-covalent binding interactions, such as between a protein receptor and its ligand, and is commonly referred to as functional affinity. As such, avidity is distinct from affinity, which describes the strength of a single interaction. However, because individual binding events increase the likelihood of other interactions to occur (i.e. increase the local concentration of each binding partner in proximity to the binding site), avidity should not be thought of as the mere sum of its constituent affinities but as the combined effect of all affinities participating in the biomolecular interaction. A particular important aspect relates to the phenomenon of ‘avidity entropy’. Biomolecules often form heterogenous complexes or homogeneous oligomers and multimers or polymers. If clustered proteins form an organized matrix, such as the clathrin-coat, the interaction is described as a matricity.
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Affinity (noun)
A natural attraction or feeling of kinship to a person or thing.
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Affinity (noun)
A family relationship through marriage of a relative (e.g. sister-in-law), as opposed to consanguinity (e.g. sister).
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Affinity (noun)
A kinsman or kinswoman of a such relationship; one who is affinal.
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Affinity (noun)
The fact of and manner in which something is related to another.
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Affinity (noun)
Any romantic relationship.
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Affinity (noun)
Any passionate love for something.
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Affinity (noun)
biological populations; resemblances that suggest that they are of a common origin, type or stock.
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Affinity (noun)
structural resemblances between minerals; resemblances that suggest that they are of a common origin or type.
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Affinity (noun)
An attractive force between atoms, or groups of atoms, that contributes towards their forming bonds
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Affinity (noun)
The attraction between an antibody and an antigen
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Affinity (noun)
tendency to keep a task running on the same processor in a symmetric multiprocessing operating system to reduce the frequency of cache misses
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Affinity (noun)
An automorphism of affine space.
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Avidity (noun)
Greediness; strong appetite.
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Avidity (noun)
Eagerness; intenseness of desire.
“to eat with avidity”
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Avidity (noun)
The measure of the synergism of the strength of individual interactions between proteins.