Cystine plug and other novel mechanisms of large mechanical stability in dimeric proteins

Abstract

We identify three dimeric proteins whose mechanostability is anisotropic and should exceed 1 nN along some directions. They come with distinct mechanical clamps: shear-based, involving a cystine slipknot, and due to dragging of a cystine plug through a cystine ring. The latter two mechanisms are topological in nature and the cystine plug mechanism has not yet been discussed but it turns out to provide the largest resistance to stretching. Its possible applications in elastomers are discussed.

5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett

References in corpus (2)

• Mechanical Strength of 17 134 Model Proteins and Cysteine Slipknots
• Molecular jamming - the cystine slipknot mechanical clamp in all-atom simulations

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Structural entanglements in protein complexes
• Unbinding and unfolding of adhesion protein complexes through stretching: Interplay between shear and tensile mechanical clamps
• Formation of Cystine Slipknots in Dimeric Proteins