title: Cross-strand side-chain interactions versus turn conformation in beta-hairpins.
abstract: A series of designed peptides has been analyzed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy in order to investigate the influence of cross-strand side-chain interactions in beta-hairpin formation. The peptides differ in the N-terminal residues of a previously designed linear decapeptide that folds in aqueous solution into two interconverting beta-hairpin conformations, one with a type I turn (beta-hairpin 4:4) and the other with a type I + G1 beta-bulge turn (beta-hairpin 3:5). Analysis of the conformational behavior of the peptides studied here demonstrates three favorable and two unfavorable cross-strand side-chain interactions for beta-hairpin formation. These results are in agreement with statistical data on side-chain interactions in protein beta-sheets. All the peptides in this study form significant populations of the beta-hairpin 3:5, but only some of them also adopt the beta-hairpin 4:4. The formation of beta-hairpin 4:4 requires the presence of at least two favorable cross-strand interactions, whereas beta-hairpin 3:5 seems to be less susceptible to side-chain interactions. A protein database analysis of beta-hairpins 3:5 and beta-hairpins 4:4 indicates that the former occur more frequently than the latter. In both peptides and proteins, beta-hairpins 3:5 have a larger right-handed twist than beta-hairpins 4:4, so that a factor contributing to the higher stability of beta-hairpin 3:5 relative to beta-hairpin 4:4 is due to an appropriate backbone conformation of the type I + G1 beta-bulge turn toward the right-handed twist usually observed in protein beta-sheets. In contrast, as suggested previously, backbone geometry of the type I turn is not adequate for the right-handed twist. Because analysis of buried hydrophobic surface areas on protein beta-hairpins reveals that beta-hairpins 3:5 bury more hydrophobic surface area than beta-hairpins 4:4, we suggest that the right-handed twist observed in beta-hairpin 3:5 allows a better packing of side chains and that this may also contribute to its higher intrinsic stability.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientifícas, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Alba
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rico
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jiménez
mesh_terms: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D010455:Peptides; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water