Electrostatic Similarity Analysis of Human β-Defensin Binding in the Melanocortin System.

ABSTRACT: The β-defensins are a class of small cationic proteins that serve as components of numerous systems in vertebrate biology, including the immune and melanocortin systems. Human β-defensin 3 (HBD3), which is produced in the skin, has been found to bind to melanocortin receptors 1 and 4 through complementary electrostatics, a unique mechanism of ligand-receptor interaction. This finding indicates that electrostatics alone, and not specific amino acid contact points, could be sufficient for function in this ligand-receptor system, and further suggests that other small peptide ligands could interact with these receptors in a similar fashion. Here, we conducted molecular-similarity analyses and functional studies of additional members of the human β-defensin family, examining their potential as

SUBMITTER: Nix MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4643202 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature