The structure of a calmodulin mutant with a deletion in the central helix: implications for molecular recognition and protein binding.
Tabernero, L., Taylor, D.A., Chandross, R.J., VanBerkum, M.F., Means, A.R., Quiocho, F.A., Sack, J.S.(1997) Structure 5: 613-622
- PubMed: 9195880 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0969-2126(97)00217-7
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1AHR - PubMed Abstract: 
Calmodulin (CaM) is the major calcium-dependent regulator of a large variety of important intracellular processes in eukaryotes. The structure of CaM consists of two globular calcium-binding domains joined by a central 28-residue alpha helix. This linker helix has been hypothesized to act as a flexible tether and is crucial for the binding and activation of numerous target proteins. Although the way in which alterations of the central helix modulate the molecular recognition mechanism is not known exactly, the relative orientation of the globular domains seems to be of great importance. The structural analysis of central helix mutants may contribute to a better understanding of how changes in the conformation of CaM effect its function.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Macromolecular Crystallography Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute Princeton, NJ 08543-4000, USA.