Helical content of Protein DataBank entries

From the Marshall lab: Helices are the most abundant secondary structural element in proteins, and are integral to a variety of protein-based phenomena. We analyzed the hydrogen bond content of the Protein DataBank to show that the population of helices is somewhat different than the population predicted by classic ideal forms of helix, such as alpha- and 3(10)- forms. This observation, which is strictly derived from high-resolution atomic coordinates, enables a detailed view of structural features in helices. We apply these constraints to the design and synthesis of novel peptides and helical peptidomimetics.

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