Foldable subunits of helix protein

Comput Biol Chem. 2009 Aug;33(4):325-8. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2009.06.001. Epub 2009 Jun 25.

Abstract

Detection of foldable subunits in proteins is an important approach to understand their evolutions and find building motifs for de novo protein design. Using united-residue model, we simulated the folding of a six-helix protein with a length of 120 amino acids (C-terminal domain of Ku86). The folding behaviors, structural topology and sequence repetition of this protein all suggest that it may have a two-fold quasi-repetition or symmetry in its sequence and structure. Therefore, we simulated the folding of its two halves (1-60 and 61-120 amino acids) and find that they can fold into native conformations independently. It is also found that their folding behaviors are very similar to other three-helix bundles. This suggests that this protein may be divided into two foldable halves.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Nuclear / chemistry
  • Antigens, Nuclear / physiology*
  • Computer Simulation
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Ku Autoantigen
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Folding
  • Protein Subunits / chemistry
  • Protein Subunits / physiology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Nuclear
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Protein Subunits
  • Ku Autoantigen