Alpha-Helix folding in the presence of structural constraints.

ABSTRACT: We have investigated the site-specific folding kinetics of a photoswitchable cross-linked alpha-helical peptide by using single (13)C = (18)O isotope labeling together with time-resolved IR spectroscopy. We observe that the folding times differ from site to site by a factor of eight at low temperatures (6 degrees C), whereas at high temperatures (45 degrees C), the spread is considerably smaller. The trivial sum of the site signals coincides with the overall folding signal of the unlabeled peptide, and different sites fold in a noncooperative manner. Moreover, one of the sites exhibits a decrease of hydrogen bonding upon folding, implying that the unfolded state at low temperature is not unstructured. Molecular dynamics simulations at low temperature reveal a stretched-exponential behavior

SUBMITTER: Ihalainen JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2474473 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature