Sandbox Reserved 717: Difference between revisions

The zinc is located in the centre of the receptor-binding domain. The zinc-binding site lies on the border between the head and the bonnet of the 45kDa domain. It interacts with the amino acids <scene name='Sandbox_Reserved_717/Mynewscene/3'>His445 and His447  </scene>  of each monomer. The distances of the zinc ion to the NE2 of <scene name='Sandbox_Reserved_717/Mynewscene/1'>His445</scene> and <scene name='Sandbox_Reserved_717/Mynewscene/2'>His447</scene> are 2.22 Å and 2.25 Å. The normally found distances between His and zinc are shorter. The explaination that these distances are longer than normally found is the octahedral coordination of the zinc in this structure [3].  

The role of the zinc ion is probably absolute of structural nature. It increases the stability of the C-terminus of gp12 against proteases, but it also raises the stability of the C-terminus in general [3].