Crystal structure of beta-helical antifreeze protein points to a general ice binding model.
Leinala, E.K., Davies, P.L., Jia, Z.(2002) Structure 10: 619-627
- PubMed: 12015145
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0969-2126(02)00745-1
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
1L0S - PubMed Abstract:
Reported here is the 2.3 A resolution crystal structure of spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) antifreeze protein (CfAFP), solved by single anomalous scattering. The structure reveals an extremely regular left-handed beta-helical platform consisting of 15-amino acid loops with a repetitive Thr-X-Thr motif displayed on one of the helix's three faces. This motif results in a two-dimensional array of threonine residues in an identical orientation to those in the nonhomologous, right-handed beta-helical beetle AFP from Tenebrio molitor (TmAFP). The CfAFP structure led us to reevaluate our ice binding model, and the analysis of three possible modes of docking gives rise to a binding mechanism based on surface complementarity. This general mechanism is applicable to both fish and insect AFPs.
Organizational Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada.