Selective assembly of a high stability AAB collagen heterotrimer.

ABSTRACT: How collagen is able to obtain control of helix composition and register is poorly understood yet is critical for determining the structure and properties of the most abundant protein in the human body. In humans there are 28 known types of collagen that can form homotrimeric (AAA) or heterotrimeric (AAB and ABC) compositions. Additionally, because of a single amino acid offset between peptide chains in the triple helix, distinct heterotrimers of different registers can be formed. In this communication we describe an AAB collagen heterotrimer with controlled composition and register. This is the first report of a collagen heterotrimer whose thermal stability is greater than that of any of its component parts and therefore is the dominant species in solution. The design concept is simple: c

SUBMITTER: Russell LE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2836390 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature