在纤维素中从α-螺旋式卷轴转换为β-片的机械转换
Artem Zhmurov1, Olga Kononova, Rustem I Litvinov
1Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, United States.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|September 8, 2012
概括
这项研究揭示了纤维原体中的α-螺旋螺旋线圈如何在力作用下过渡到β-片. 这种软相过渡可能解释了线状蛋白质的机械性质.
科学领域:
- 生物物理学的生物物理.
- 结构生物学 结构生物学
- 计算生物学 计算生物学
背景情况:
- 纤维状α螺旋蛋白在生物系统中起着至关重要的作用.
- 了解它们的机械特性对于理解它们的功能至关重要.
研究的目的:
- 为了描述人体纤维素原的线圈-线圈连接器中的α-β转换.
- 阐明控制这些结构被迫延长的机械机制.
主要方法:
- 强迫延长的生物分子模拟.
- 在机械应力下蛋白质行为的理论建模.
主要成果:
- 确定了三种不同的力延伸模式:弹性,恒力塑性和非线性.
- 观察到在塑料状态下 (F ≈ 150 pN) 从α螺旋转向β片的非合作相过渡.
- 量化了过渡的临界延伸 (0.25 nm) 和能量差异 (4.9 kcal / mol 每个螺旋间距).
结论:
- 在卷状线圈中,从α到β相过渡是一个柔软的过渡.
- 这种机制对于有线状α螺旋蛋白的机械性质可能是普遍的.
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