Consequences of localized frustration for the folding mechanism of the IM7 protein.

SUTTO L, LÄTZER J, HEGLER JA, FERREIRO DU, WOLYNES PG.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Año: 2007 vol. 104 p. 19825 - 19830

0027-8424

In the laboratory, IM7 has been found to have an unusual folding mechanism in which an "on-pathway" intermediate with nonnative interactions is formed. We show that this intermediate is a consequence of an unusual cluster of highly frustrated interactions in the native structure. This cluster is involved in the binding of IM7 to its target, Colicin E7. Redesign of residues in this cluster to eliminate frustration is predicted by simulations to lead to faster folding without the population of an intermediate ensemble.