Primary Citation of Related Structures:   1FZC
PubMed Abstract: 
Factor XIII-cross-linked fragment D (double-D) from human fibrin was crystallized in the presence of two different peptide ligands and the X-ray structure determined at 2.3 A. The peptide Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro-amide, which is an analogue of the knob exposed by the thrombin-catalyzed removal of fibrinopeptide A, was found to reside in the gamma-chain holes, and the peptide Gly-His-Arg-Pro-amide, which corresponds to the beta-chain knob, was found in the homologous beta-chain holes ...
Factor XIII-cross-linked fragment D (double-D) from human fibrin was crystallized in the presence of two different peptide ligands and the X-ray structure determined at 2.3 A. The peptide Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro-amide, which is an analogue of the knob exposed by the thrombin-catalyzed removal of fibrinopeptide A, was found to reside in the gamma-chain holes, and the peptide Gly-His-Arg-Pro-amide, which corresponds to the beta-chain knob, was found in the homologous beta-chain holes. The structure shows for the first time that the beta-chain knob does indeed bind to a homologous hole on the beta-chain. The gamma- and beta-chain holes are structurally very similar, and it is remarkable they are able to distinguish between these two peptides that differ by a single amino acid. Additionally, we have found that the beta-chain domain, like its gamma-chain counterpart, binds calcium.
Related Citations: 
Crystal Structures of Fragment D from Human Fibrinogen and its Crosslinked Counterpart from Fibrin Spraggon, G., Everse, S.J., Doolittle, R.F. (1997) Nature 389: 455
Erratum. Crystal Structures of Fragment D from Human Fibrinogen and its Crosslinked Counterpart from Fibrin Spraggon, G., Everse, S.J., Doolittle, R.F. (1997) Nature 390: 315
Organizational Affiliation: 
Center for Molecular Genetics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0634, USA.