Alpha Domain Proteins

Introduction - This script shows some examples of alpha domain proteins. Scroll down until the text corresponding to the view is visible.




Although the α-helix is a common structural element in proteins, it is rare to find a protein consisting of a single helix, because they are not usually stable. An exception is glucagon, shown here.




The coiled-coil consists of two a-helices stacked together.

In this case, the coils interact via leucines (GREEN) in the leucine zipper motif found in DNA-binding proteins.




A four helix bundle is a common way for α-helices to pack in a protein.




The only secondary structural elements in myoglobin are α-helices.