Porins are a family of bacterial outer membrane proteins organized as
16 anti-parallel b-strands that are joined by a salt bridge at the NH2
and COOH terminii to form a transmembrane B-barrel.
I would like to know if such a structure can exist in a molten globule
state. Any references to studies on the molten-globule state of
proteins organized as B-sheets would be helpful. Speculation on the
properties of porin in the molten globule state would also be
appreciated: would we have a B-barrel that was opened up by breakage of
the COOH terminus salt bridge? ; what about the hydrogen bonding
between strands? Any ideas would be welcome.
Dave Dahan
EH26005 at MUSICA.MCGILL.CA
