Sandbox 33: Difference between revisions

In aqueous, physiological environment the <scene name='Sandbox_33/Stickwire_hydrophobic/1'>hydrophobic residues</scene> of adenylate kinase, seen in grey, are buried in the interior of the protein.  The <scene name='Sandbox_33/Stickwire_charged/1'>hydrophilic residues</scene>, seen in yellow, (both polar and charged residues) are on the outside of the protein exposed to the environment.  It might be easier to visualize in <scene name='Sandbox_33/Hydrophilic_better/1'>this</scene> depiction of adenylate kinase.  The hydrophobic residues aggregate together (cluster together to avoid the aqueous environment) and bury themselves in the interior of the protein, away from the exterior aqueous environment.  Hydrophilic residues are exposed because they can interact with the aqueous environment.  Hydrophilic residues can exist on the interior of a protein by interacting with one another and avoiding interaction with hydrophobic residues.  Hydrophilic residues can also exist in the active site to stabilize hydrophobic portions of the substrate.