Anatomy of protein structures: visualizing how a one-dimensional protein chain folds into a three-dimensional shape.

ABSTRACT: Here, we depict the anatomy of protein structures in terms of the protein folding process. Via an iterative, top-down dissecting procedure, tertiary structures are spliced down to reveal their anatomy: first, to produce domains (defined by visual three-dimensional inspection criteria); then, hydrophobic folding units (HFU); and, at the end of a multilevel process, a set of building blocks. The resulting anatomy tree organization not only clearly depicts the organization of a one-dimensional polypeptide chain in three-dimensional space but also straightforwardly describes the most likely folding pathway(s). Comparison of the tree with the formation of the hydrophobic folding units through combinatorial assembly of the building blocks illustrates how the chain folds in a sequential or a comp

SUBMITTER: Tsai CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC17290 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature