title: The role of stabilization centers in protein thermal stability.
abstract: The definition of stabilization centers was introduced almost two decades ago. They are centers of noncovalent long range interaction clusters, believed to have a role in maintaining the three-dimensional structure of proteins by preventing their decay due to their cooperative long range interactions. Here, this hypothesis is investigated from the viewpoint of thermal stability for the first time, using a large protein thermodynamics database. The positions of amino acids belonging to stabilization centers are correlated with available experimental thermodynamic data on protein thermal stability. Our analysis suggests that stabilization centers, especially solvent exposed ones, do contribute to the thermal stabilization of proteins.
authors: Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Magyar Tudósok krt 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.
authors: Csaba
authors: C
authors: Magyar
authors: Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India.
authors: M Michael
authors: MM
authors: Gromiha
authors: Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Magyar Tudósok krt 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.
authors: Zoltán
authors: Z
authors: Sávoly
authors: Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Magyar Tudósok krt 2, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: simon.istvan@ttk.mta.hu.
authors: István
authors: I
authors: Simon
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D055550:Protein Stability; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013816:Thermodynamics; D044366:Transition Temperature
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D011506:Proteins
keywords: Protein stability; Stability changing mutations; Stabilization centers; Thermal stability; Thermophiles