Abstract
The distribution of interaxial angles between packed α-helices has been explained by a number of elegant models describing how side chains on helices can interdigitate without steric conflicts. Here I show that much of the apparent preference for particular angles is due to statistical bias and that true packing angle preferences are not well described by regular packing models.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$189.00 per year
only $15.75 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Chothia, C., Levitt, M. & Richardson, D. Helix to helix packing in proteins. J. Mol. Biol. 145, 215–250 (1981).
Walther, D., Eisenhaber, F. & Argos, P. Principles of helix-helix packing in proteins: the helical lattice superposition model. J. Mol. Biol. 25, 536–553 (1996).
Chothia, C., Levitt, M. & Richardson, D. Structure of proteins: packing of α-helices and pleated sheets. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 74, 4130–4134 (1977).
Richmond, T. & Richards, F. Packing of α-helices: geometrical constraints and contact areas. J. Mol. Biol. 119, 537–555 (1978).
Reddy, B. & Blundell, T. Packing of secondary structural elements in proteins. Analysis and prediction of inter-helix distances. J. Mol. Biol. 233, 464–479 (1993).
Crick, F. The packing of α-helices: simple coiled coils. Acta Crystallogr. 6, 689–697 (1953).
Effimov, A. Packing of α-helices in globular proteins. Layer-structure of globin hydrophobic cores. J. Mol. Biol. 134, 23–40 (1979).
O'Shea, E., Klemm, J., Kim, P. & Alber, T. X-ray structure of the GCN4 leucine zipper, a two-stranded, parallel coiled coil. Science 254, 539–544 (1991).
Bowie, J. Helix packing in membrane proteins. J. Mol. Biol. 272, 780–789 (1997).
Hobohm, U. & Sander, C. Enlarged representative set of protein structures. Prot. Sci. 3, 522 (1994).
Kabsch, W. & Sander, C. Dictionary of protein secondary structure: pattern recognition of hydrogen-bonded and geometrical features. Biopolymers 22, 2577–2637 (1983).
Shrake, A. & Rupley, J. Environment and exposure to solvent of protein atoms, lysozyme and insulin. J. Mol. Biol. 79, 351–371 (1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bowie, J. Helix packing angle preferences. Nat Struct Mol Biol 4, 915–917 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/nsb1197-915
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nsb1197-915
This article is cited by
-
Three-dimensional architecture and gating mechanism of a K+ channel studied by EPR spectroscopy
Nature Structural Biology (1998)