Phenomenological perspectives on the folding of beta/alpha-barrel domains through the modular formation and assembly of smaller structural elements.
The beta/alpha-barrel motif was once considered to be a single protein domain. In recent years, however, it has been shown to consist of smaller substructures displaying the ability to fold autonomously. Here we review the current status of experimental findings concerning the motif's folding behavior in the light of what is currently known about (a) the relative rates of formation of helices and sheets in proteins, in general, and (b) the peculiarities of topology and architecture of the motif, in particular, to develop a detailed phenomenological understanding of how beta/alpha-barrels might form through the modular folding and assembly of substructures.
Maiti
Sankar
S
Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39 A, Chandigarh 160 036, India.
Luthra-Guptasarma
Manni
M
Guptasarma
Purnananda
P
D008958:Models, Molecular; D017510:Protein Folding; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
D011506:Proteins