Author: ["Douglas R. Walker","Sarah A. H. Hulgan","Caroline M. Peterson","I-Che Li","Kevin J. Gonzalez","Jeffrey D. Hartgerink"]
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Abstract
Robust methods for predicting thermal stabilities of collagen triple helices are critical for understanding natural structure and stability in the collagen family of proteins and also for designing synthetic peptides mimicking these essential proteins. In this work, we determine the relative stability imparted on the collagen triple helix by single amino acids and interactions between amino acid pairs. Using this analysis, we create a comprehensive algorithm, SCEPTTr, for predicting melting temperatures of synthetic triple helices. Critically, our algorithm is compatible with every natural amino acid, can evaluate both homotrimers and heterotrimers, and accounts for all possible helix compositions and registers, including non-canonically staggered helices. We test and optimize our algorithm against 431 published collagen triple helices to demonstrate the quality of our predictive system. Finally, we use this algorithm to successfully guide the design of an ABC heterotrimer possessing high assembly specificity. Collagen-like peptides can self-assemble into hundreds of closely related triple helices. Now, an algorithm has been developed that predicts the most stable helix and the extent to which it will assemble to the exclusion of the competing helices. This information can help improve the understanding of triple helix design and assembly.Cite this article
Walker, D.R., Hulgan, S.A.H., Peterson, C.M. et al. Predicting the stability of homotrimeric and heterotrimeric collagen helices. Nat. Chem. 13, 260–269 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-020-00626-6 