Hydrophobic surface burial is the major stability determinant of a flat, single-layer beta-sheet.

ABSTRACT: Formation of a flat beta-sheet is a fundamental event in beta-sheet-mediated protein self-assembly. To investigate the contributions of various factors to the stability of flat beta-sheets, we performed extensive alanine-scanning mutagenesis experiments on the single-layer beta-sheet segment of Borrelia outer surface protein A (OspA). This beta-sheet segment consists of beta-strands with highly regular geometries that can serve as a building block for self-assembly. Our Ala-scanning approach is distinct from the conventional host-guest method, in that it introduces only conservative, truncation mutations that should minimize structural perturbation. Our results showed very weak correlation with experimental beta-sheet propensity scales, statistical beta-sheet propensity scales, or cross-st

SUBMITTER: Yan S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1995161 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature