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- **********************************************************
- * Crystallins beta and gamma 'Greek key' motif signature *
- **********************************************************
-
- Crystallins are the dominant structural components of the eye lens. Among the
- different type of crystallins, the beta and gamma crystallins form a family of
- related proteins [1,2]. Structurally, beta and gamma crystallins are composed
- of two similar domains which, in turn, are each composed of two similar motifs
- with the two domains connected by a short connecting peptide. Each motif,
- which is about forty amino acid residues long, is folded in a distinctive
- 'Greek key' pattern.
-
- Apart from the different types of beta and gamma crystallins, this family
- also includes the following proteins:
-
- - Two related proteins from the sporulating bacterium Myxococcus xanthus:
- protein S, a calcium-binding protein that forms a major part of the spore
- coat, and a close homolog of protein S.
- - Spherulin 3a from the slime mold Physarum polycephalum. Spherulin 3a is a
- development specific protein synthesized in response to various kinds of
- stress leading to encystment and dormancy. The sequence of Spherulin 3a
- consists of two 'Greek key' motifs [3].
-
- The pattern we developed for this family of proteins span positions 3 to 18 of
- the Greek-key motif and includes three conserved positions which are important
- for the structural integrity of the motif. These are the conserved aromatic
- residues in positions 6 and 11 of the motif and the glycine in position 13.
-
- -Consensus pattern: [LIVMFYWA]-x-{DEHRKSTP}-[FY]-[DEQHKY]-x(3)-[FY]-x-G-x(4)-
- [LIVMFCST]
- -Sequences known to belong to this class detected by the pattern: ALL. In a
- few cases the pattern will fail to detect one of the four motifs.
- -Other sequence(s) detected in SWISS-PROT: 122, but in all these sequences the
- pattern is found only ONCE.
- -Last update: April 1990 / Text revised.
-
- [ 1] Lubsen N.H., Aarts H.J.M., Schoenmakers J.G.G.
- Prog. Biophys. Mol. Biol. 51:47-76(1988).
- [ 2] Wistow G.J., Piatigorsky J.
- Annu. Rev. Biochem. 57:479-504(1988).
- [ 3] Wistow G.
- J. Mol. Evol. 30:140-145(1990).
-