Proteins side-chain arrangement

The formal space filling characteristics of molecules are influenced by a merger of electronic density clouds between parts of the molecule not linked directly by formal bonds. The computational experience with protein MEDLA electron densities indicates that these "nonbonded" mergers of MIDCOs tend to occur simultaneously at about the same density threshold am, at many locations within the molecule. This trend, pointed out in [66,71 [, is likely to help the search for favored conformations of proteins, advantageous mutual side chain arrangements and folding patterns. 

The iceberg theory of ionic solutions (17) and of hydration of proteins (18) is closely related to the hydrate microcrystal theory of anesthesia the only change suggested for these theories is that the ordered arrangement of water molecules about the solute ions and protein, side chains has one or another of the dathrate structures rather than the more compact ice-I structure. 

Through combined effects of noncovalent forces, proteins fold into secondary stmctures, and hence a tertiary stmcture that defines the native state or conformation of a protein. The native state is then that three-dimensional arrangement of the polypeptide chain and amino acid side chains that best facihtates the biological activity of a protein, at the same time providing stmctural stabiUty. Through protein engineering subde adjustments in the stmcture of the protein can be made that can dramatically alter its function or stabiUty. 

The interiors of protein molecules contain mainly hydrophobic side chains. The main chain in the interior is arranged in secondary structures to neutralize its polar atoms through hydrogen bonds. There are two main types of secondary structure, a helices and p sheets. Beta sheets can have their strands parallel, antiparallel, or mixed. 

Figure 3.6 Four-helix bundles frequently occur as domains in a proteins. The arrangement of the a helices is such that adjacent helices in the amino acid sequence are also adjacent in the three-dimensional structure. Some side chains from all four helices are buried in the middle of the bundle, where they form a hydrophobic core, (a) Schematic representation of the path of the polypeptide chain in a four-helrx-bundle domain. Red cylinders are a helices, (b) Schematic view of a projection down the bundle axis. Large circles represent the main chain of the a helices small circles are side chains. Green circles are the buried hydrophobic side chains red circles are side chains that are exposed on the surface of the bundle, which are mainly hydrophilic.

Fibrous protein (Section 26.9) A protein that consists of polypeptide chains arranged side by side in long threads. Such proteins are tough, insoluble in water, and used in nature for structural materials such as hair, hooves, and fingernails. 

Each heme unit in myoglobin and hemoglobin contains one ion bound to four nitrogen donor atoms in a square planar arrangement. This leaves the metal with two axial coordination sites to bind other ligands. One of these sites is bound to a histidine side chain that holds the heme in the pocket of the protein. The other axial position is where reversible binding of molecular oxygen takes place. 

The stability of secondary structure is also influenced by surrounding structures (Fig. 2-3). Secondary structure may be stabilized by interactions between the side chains and by interactions of the side chains with other structures in the protein. For example, it is possible to arrange the amino acid sequence of a protein or peptide into a helix that has one face that is hydrophobic and one that is hydrophilic. The helix wheel shown in Fig. 2-3 illustrates how this is possible. View the helix as a long cylinder. The peptide backbone spirals up and around the cylinder. The... 

The crystal structure of the extracellular domain of P0 has also been determined [41]. The arrangement of molecules in the crystal indicates that P0 may exist on the membrane surface as a tetramer (Fig. 7-7) that can link to other tetramers from the opposing membrane to form an adhesive lattice, like a molecular Velcro . The structure also suggests that P0 mediates adhesion through the direct interaction of apically directed tryptophan side chains with the opposing membrane [42], in addition to homo-philic protein-protein interaction. 

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