title: Nucleic acids-protein interactions: structural studies by x-ray diffraction and model building.
abstract: X-ray diffraction and model-building studies suggest that the alpha-helix and beta-structure of protein may interact with double-helix nucleic acids. In the former case basic side chains of amino acid residues in the alpha-helix can interact with phosphate groups of the double helix, and in the latter case the peptide backbone in a beta-ribbon can hydrogen-bond to the backbone of the double helix of nucleic acids. These structurally compatible interactions between well-known secondary structures of protein and the double helix provide models for understanding specific interaction between nucleic acid and protein during general recognition, or preliminary stages before base sequence-specific recognition.
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011506:Proteins; D012313:RNA; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA