We explore the possibility for the native structure of a protein being inherently multiconformational in an ab initio coarse-grained model. Based on the Wang-Landau algorithm, the complete free energy landscape for the designed sequence 2DX4: INYWLAHAKAGYIVHWTA is constructed. It is shown that 2DX4 possesses two nearly degenerate native structures: one is a helix structure with the other a hairpinlike structure, and their free energy difference is <2% of that of local minima. Two degenerate native structures are stabilized by an energy barrier of ∼10 kcal/mol. Furthermore, the hydrogen-bond and dipole-dipole interactions are found to be two major competing interactions in transforming one conformation into the other. Our results indicate that two degenerate native structures are stabilized by subtle balance between different interactions in proteins. In particular, for small proteins, balance between the hydrogen-bond and dipole-dipole interactions happens for proteins of sizes being ∼18 amino acids and is shown to the main driving mechanism for the occurrence of degeneracy. These results provide important clues to the study of native structures of proteins.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 2. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 05 December 2011.
All research outputs
#16,047,334
of 25,374,647 outputs
Outputs from Biophysical Journal
#6,853
of 10,295 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#107,813
of 176,747 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Biophysical Journal
#29
of 58 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,374,647 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 34th percentile – i.e., 34% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 10,295 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.3. This one is in the 30th percentile – i.e., 30% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 176,747 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one is in the 36th percentile – i.e., 36% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
We're also able to compare this research output to 58 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 44th percentile – i.e., 44% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
