title: Differential stability of beta-sheets and alpha-helices in beta-lactamase: a high temperature molecular dynamics study of unfolding intermediates.
abstract: beta-Lactamase, which catalyzes beta-lactam antibiotics, is prototypical of large alpha/beta proteins with a scaffolding formed by strong noncovalent interactions. Experimentally, the enzyme is well characterized, and intermediates that are slightly less compact and having nearly the same content of secondary structure have been identified in the folding pathway. In the present study, high temperature molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out on the native enzyme in solution. Analysis of these results in terms of root mean square fluctuations in cartesian and [phi, psi] space, backbone dihedral angles and secondary structural hydrogen bonds forms the basis for an investigation of the topology of partially unfolded states of beta-lactamase. A differential stability has been observed for alpha-helices and beta-sheets upon thermal denaturation to putative unfolding intermediates. These observations contribute to an understanding of the folding/unfolding processes of beta-lactamases in particular, and other alpha/beta proteins in general.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut 06459.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vijayakumar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vishveshwara
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ravishanker
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Beveridge
mesh_terms: D004795:Enzyme Stability; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D007700:Kinetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D017510:Protein Folding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000201:enzymology; D013816:Thermodynamics; D013997:Time Factors; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001618:beta-Lactamases