Prions
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QW Repeat Motif
(G. Schulz 25 Sept 97 Science)
 Amide N on...off . . . labels on . . . labels off
Gln on ...off . . . . . . Trp W on ... off....
Inouye fiber diffraction hairpin
(JMolBio 268,#2 , p375-389, May 2, 1997)

labels on . . . labels off

Be sure to try the pop-up menu controls and mouse drag on orientation and resizing on the images above. Then stop the rotation to save browser memory. The Chime images above shows a QW motif in an octapeptide repeat unit and a core prion hairpin. The QW motifs are important in anchoring alpha helices in other proteins and could provide stability to the prion molecule or govern its interaction with the cell membrane.

To see what is "new" in the hamster sequence, open a smaller and simpler Kinemage file that has only the N-terminal sequence, GQGGGTHNQWNKPSKPKTNMKHM AGAAAAGAVVGGLGG YMLG from residue 90 up through the first beta strand.

UCSF Hamster Prion 90-231: interactive

Swiss Mouse Prion 121-231: interactive

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