RNaseA Nobel Prizes: Difference between revisions

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== '''Protein Folding''' ==
== '''Protein Folding''' ==
[[Image:Proteopedia final 2d.png|thumb|280px|left|Residues important to the proper folding of RNase A. Locations of internal residues Pro-114, Pro-117, Cys-58, and Cys-72 are highlighted and labeled.]]
[[Image:Proteopedia final 2d.png|thumb|280px|left|Residues important to the proper folding of RNase A. Locations of internal residues Pro-114, Pro-117, Cys-58, and Cys-72 are highlighted and labeled.]]
Interatomic interactions, delegated by the amino acid sequence, are responsible for formation of a protein's 3D structure [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_folding].  Several of these interactions have been identified by the use of site directed mutagenesis to wildtype RNase A and subsequent comparison of the crystal structure to the wildtype. Although RNase A has 105 possible disulfide bond pairings, only one set of four bonds occurs. This unique observation leads to the "thermodynamic hypothesis", that a protein's native state is determined by the thermodynamic favorability of the whole system; thus the tertiary structure must be predetermined by intramolecular interactions within the amino acid sequence.<ref>PMID:132421663</ref> Since thermodynamic stability of a protein is affected by the environment's temperature, pH, and ionic strength, among other factors, the protein structure can only exist under physiological conditions. Today, the correlation between the amino acid sequence and the tertiary structure of RNase A continues to serve as a model for protein folding. Among the most important attributes of this model are noncovalent interactions, proline conformation, and disulfide bonding <ref name = 'Lehninger'>'Lehninger A., Nelson D.N, & Cox M.M. (2008) Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. W. H. Freeman, fifth edition.' </ref>.
Interatomic interactions, delegated by the amino acid sequence, are responsible for formation of a protein's 3D structure [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_folding].  Several of these interactions have been identified by the use of site directed mutagenesis to wildtype RNase A and subsequent comparison of the crystal structure to the wildtype. Although RNase A has 105 possible disulfide bond pairings, only one set of four bonds occurs. This unique observation leads to the "thermodynamic hypothesis", that a protein's native state is determined by the thermodynamic favorability of the whole system; thus the tertiary structure must be predetermined by intramolecular interactions within the amino acid sequence.<ref>PMID: 4124164</ref> Since thermodynamic stability of a protein is affected by the environment's temperature, pH, and ionic strength, among other factors, the protein structure can only exist under physiological conditions. Today, the correlation between the amino acid sequence and the tertiary structure of RNase A continues to serve as a model for protein folding. Among the most important attributes of this model are noncovalent interactions, proline conformation, and disulfide bonding <ref name = 'Lehninger'>'Lehninger A., Nelson D.N, & Cox M.M. (2008) Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. W. H. Freeman, fifth edition.' </ref>.


==='''Proline Conformation'''===
==='''Proline Conformation'''===

Proteopedia Page Contributors and Editors (what is this?)Proteopedia Page Contributors and Editors (what is this?)

R. Jeremy Johnson, Wayne Decatur, Michal Harel, Eric Martz, Alexander Berchansky, Angel Herraez, Karsten Theis