Polypeptide hormone-receptor interactions: the structure and receptor binding of insulin and glucagon

Insulin is a small globular protein with a well defined tertiary structure which is closely similar in all species with the exception of certain hystricomorphs such as the guinea pig. Insulin-like growth factor is homologous with insulin and probably has an insulin-like tertiary structure. In contrast glucagon is not a globular protein. It exists as an equilibrium population of conformers with low helix content at physiological concentrations but attains a largely helical conformation on association to trimers. The receptor binding of insulin depends critically on the correct three-dimensional juxtaposition of groups (A1, A21, B25, etc) and involves both hydrophobic and polar interactions. In insulin-like growth factor part of the insulin receptor region is thought to be buried in extra peptide, so explaining its weak binding to insulin receptors. In contrast the glucagon receptor complex probably involves largely hydrophobic contacts which are possible when a helical conformer is formed.