title: A crystal molecular conformation of leucine-enkephalin related to the morphine molecule.
abstract: Leucine-enkephalin (Try1-Gly2-Gly3-Phe4-Leu5) has been crystallized as a trihydrate from water solution. X-ray diffraction reveals a tightly folded molecular conformation with two fused beta III- (Gly2-Gly3) and beta I- (Gly3-Phe4) turns. The Tyr1 and Phe4 aromatic rings have a close orthogonal arrangement analogous to the tyramine and cyclohexenyl rings in morphine. This suggests that the conformation found in the trihydrate crystal structure could be required for recognition by mu-receptor sites.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aubry
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Birlirakis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakarellos-Daitsiotis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sakarellos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marraud
mesh_terms: D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009020:Morphine; D011487:Protein Conformation; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine; D009020:Morphine