Issue June 2008

category image Volume 25
No. 6 (p 573-752)
June 2008
ISSN 0739-110

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Rhodopsin Point Mutants at the Cytoplasmic Side of Helices 3 and 6 (p. 573-588)

The present work reports on a structural analysis carried out through different computer simulations of a set of rhodopsin mutants with differential functional features in regard to the wild type. Most of these mutants, whose experimental features had previously been reported [Ramon et al. J Biol Chem 282, 14272-14282 (2007)], were designed to perturb a network of electrostatic interactions located at the cytoplasmic sides of transmembrane helices 3 and 6. Geometric and energetic features derived from the detailed analysis of a series of molecular dynamics simulations of the different rhodopsin mutants, involving positions 134(3.49), 247(6.30), and 251(6.34), suggest that the protein structure is sensitive to these mutations through the local changes induced that extend further to the secondary structure of neighboring helices and, ultimately, to the packing of the helical bundle. Overall, the results obtained highlight the complexity of the analyzed network of electrostatic interactions where the effect of each mutation on protein structure can produce rather specific features.

Arnau Cordomí1
Eva Ramon2,a
Pere Garriga2
Juan J. Perez1,*

1Laboratori d?Enginyeria Molecular
Departament d?Enginyeria Química
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Barcelona, Spain
2Centre de Biotecnologia Molecular
Departament d?Enginyeria Quimica
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Terrassa, Spain

aPresent address:
Centre for Membrane Biology
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The University of Texas Health Science Center
Houston, Texas
*juan.jesus.perez@upc.edu

Purchase Downloadable Full Text PDF of Articles

Corporate User

$100.00

University/Academic User

$50.00

Subscription is more cost effective than purchasing PDFs on-the-fly.  Click here for details.