title: Structure and stability of the insulin dimer investigated by molecular dynamics simulation.
abstract: Molecular dynamics simulation indicates that the dynamical behaviour of the insulin dimer is asymmetric. Atomic level knowledge of the interaction modes and protein conformation in the solvation state identifies dynamical structures, held by hydrogen bonds that stabilize, mainly in one monomer, the interaction between the chains. Dynamic cross-correlation analysis shows that the two insulin monomers behave asymmetrically and are almost independent. Solvation energy, calculated to evaluate the contribute of each interface residue to the dimer association pattern, well compares with the experimental association state found in protein mutants indicating that this parameter is an important factor to explain the association properties of mutated insulin dimers.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for the Physics of the Matter (INFM) and Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Falconi
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cambria
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cambria
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Desideri
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D019281:Dimerization; D007328:Insulin / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin