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Topological characteristics of helical repeat proteins
1Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, UK.
Current Opinion in Structural Biology
|June 11, 1999
Summary
Helical repeat proteins, identified through motifs like armadillo and HEAT, assemble from alpha-helical units. These structures form superhelices, creating interfaces for protein recognition.
Area of Science:
- Structural biology
- Protein science
Background:
- Repeating amino acid motifs form specific protein structures.
- Helical repeat proteins are a class of proteins built from repeating structural units.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the structural basis of helical repeat proteins.
- To understand the function of repeating amino acid motifs in protein structure and interaction.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of protein structures based on repeating amino acid motifs.
- Identification of common structural properties among these proteins.
Main Results:
- Proteins with armadillo motifs, HEAT motifs, and tetratricopeptide repeats belong to the helical repeat protein class.
- These proteins are assembled from tandem repeats of alpha-helical structural units.
- The resulting superhelical structures provide an effective interface for protein recognition.
Conclusions:
- The repeating alpha-helical unit is a fundamental building block for helical repeat proteins.
- The superhelical architecture facilitates protein-protein interactions.