title: Electric field-driven disruption of a native beta-sheet protein conformation and generation of a helix-structure.
abstract: We demonstrate that an external constant electric field is able to modify the secondary structure of a protein and induce a transition from a beta-sheet into a helix-like conformation. This dramatic change is driven by a global rearrangement of the dipole moments at the amide planes. We also predict electric-field-induced modifications of the intermediate states of the protein.
authors.affiliation: Theoretische Physik, Universität Kassel, Fachbereich 10, Kassel, Germany. pojeda@physik.uni-kassel.de
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ojeda-May
authors.forename: Martin E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000577:Amides / Q000737:chemistry; D004560:Electricity; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000737:chemistry*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120