Structural analysis of the N- and C-termini in a peptide with consensus sequence

Protein Sci. 1995 Aug;4(8):1446-56. doi: 10.1002/pro.5560040802.

Abstract

We present a structural analysis of a peptide, the sequence of which includes amino acids that show preferences for specific positions near the N- and C-termini in protein helices. This peptide has the sequence ac-YMSEDELKAAEAAFKRHGVP-amide, which includes a strong version of an N-terminal Harper-Rose capping box structure as well as a Gly located close to the C-terminus designed to elucidate its role in C-terminal capping. The sequence of five residues at the middle is inserted to separate effects at the two ends via a helix-stabilizing linker. Application of a simulated annealing procedure using interproton distance constraints derived from 1H NOESY experiments in water reveals the presence of a C-terminal structure in this model. The C-terminus forms a folded back structure in a significant fraction of structures generated by the annealing, in most of which Gly assumes an alpha L conformation. This structure occurs within a highly flexible region of the molecule and hence is occupied only a fraction of the time.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Consensus Sequence*
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Secondary

Substances

  • Peptides