title: NMR studies of the solution conformation of the sex peptide from Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: The insect sex peptide (SP) elicits a variety of biological responses upon transfer to the mated female. SP contains 36 amino acids, including a tryptophan-rich N-terminal region, a central region containing five hydroxyproline (Hyp) residues, and a C-terminal region enclosed by a disulfide bridge. The solution structure of SP, studied here using NMR spectroscopy, includes a motif WPWN that adopts a type I β-turn in the N-terminal Trp-rich region. This turn region is connected to the central Hyp-rich region, which adopts extended and/or PPII-like conformations. The C-terminal disulfide-bonded loop populates helical turns or nascent helical structure. Overall, the results reveal a rather flexible peptide that lacks a compact folded structure in solution.
authors: Chemistry Department, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Kerstin
authors: K
authors: Moehle
authors: Annabelle
authors: A
authors: Freund
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Kubli
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000737:chemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017510:Protein Folding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D014270:Trifluoroethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D012996:Solutions; D014270:Trifluoroethanol; D014867:Water; C489171:Acp26Aa protein, Drosophila; C056736:SP protein, Drosophila