Inverted Protein: Does Sequence Matter?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the impact of amino acid sequence on protein folding, specifically considering the implications of an inverted polypeptide sequence. Participants explore whether the folding process is influenced solely by the chemical properties and sequence of amino acids or if the order of synthesis plays a critical role in determining the final protein structure.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes that if the folding process depends only on the polypeptide contents, then an inverted sequence should yield identical proteins.
  • Another participant argues that the different termini of the proteins (COOH vs. NH2) would result in different proteins, suggesting that a palindromic sequence would be necessary for them to be identical.
  • A later reply mentions that the folding of proteins can be sequence-specific for local regions, indicating that different sequences may lead to different folding outcomes.
  • One participant notes that polypeptide sequences have polarity, which further complicates the idea of equivalence between the original and inverted sequences.
  • It is mentioned that circular permutation of protein sequences can sometimes retain the same overall structure, suggesting that sequence arrangement can influence but not always determine folding.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the significance of sequence inversion in protein folding, with no consensus reached on whether inverted sequences can yield identical proteins.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the complexity of protein folding, including factors like polarity and sequence-specific folding, but do not resolve the implications of these factors on the original question.

Eagle9
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Good day! :oldsmile:

Imagine the mRNA with some nucleotide sequence that (after translation) will give us such polypeptide chain:

L-Alanine (first, in the beginning of translation) - L-Arginine - L-Asparagine - L-Aspartic acid - L-Cysteine - L-Glutamic acid - L-Glutamine - Glycine (last, in the end of translation)

Such (or imagine longer one, its length is not crucial in my question) chain will fold after translation and we will get some certain protein.

Now imagine the polypeptide chain with inverted sequence, that is first we get (from ribosome) Glycine, then L-Glutamine and so on:

Glycine - L-Glutamine - L-Glutamic acid - L-Cysteine - L-Aspartic acid - L-Asparagine - L-Arginine - L-Alanine

This chain will also fold, but what we will receive? The same protein?

If the folding process depends only on polypeptide contents (number of amino acids, their chemical properties and sequence) then this “invertness” would not matter and we should get two identical proteins, right?

But if the folding process (and final product) begins as soon as polypeptide chain (more precisely its part) exits ribosome then we will have different amino acid sequencing to fold, in first case we have L-Alanine - L-Arginine - L-Asparagine…………… and in second case: Glycine - L-Glutamine - L-Glutamic acid…………….

So, what do you think? :oldeyes:
 
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Eagle9 said:
If the folding process depends only on polypeptide contents (number of amino acids, their chemical properties and sequence) then this “invertedness” would not matter and we should get two identical proteins, right?
By the sequence, the your protein would still be different because to two ends of the proteins would be different (COOH at one end vs. NH2 at the other). The amino acids with the different terminations would change when the direction of synthesis is changed.
To make them the same, the protein sequence would have to be a palindrome. The both ends would match up with the original.

If only the ends were palindromic and the middle was not, there is the risk that the protein being synthesized would fold up (gong from a string of amino acids to the final 3D structure of the protein) in a different manner (based on the different sequence of amino acids being inserted into the developing protein as it comes out of the ribosome. The folding a protein undergoes can be sequence specific for local regions with different amino acid sequences.
 
A Bill noted, polypeptide sequences have a polarity to then and one end is not equivalent to the other.

In some cases, it is possible to re-arrange a protein sequence through circular permutation and retain the same overall structure of the protein: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_permutation_in_proteins
 
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