Role of loops connecting secondary structure elements in the stabilization of proteins isolated from thermophilic organisms.

ABSTRACT: It has been recently discovered that the connection of secondary structure elements (ββ-unit, βα- and αβ-units) in proteins follows quite stringent principles regarding the chirality and the orientation of the structural units (Koga et al., Nature 2012;491:222-227). By exploiting these rules, a number of protein scaffolds endowed with a remarkable thermal stability have been designed (Koga et al., Nature 2012;491:222-227). By using structural databases of proteins isolated from either mesophilic or thermophilic organisms, we here investigate the influence of supersecondary associations on the thermal stability of natural proteins. Our results suggest that β-hairpins of proteins from thermophilic organisms are very frequently characterized by shortenings of the loops. Interestingly, this sh

SUBMITTER: Balasco N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3719095 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature