Can two different proteins have the same primary structure?

[deleted633919]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

In other words, can two proteins share the same primary structure, but differ in their tertiary/quaternary structures?

 

[lumpyduster]

Yes! An example, which is definitely not common knowledge, is the brome mosaic virus - it is composed of 180 identical proteins that fold into 3 different subunits - I think A, B, and C or alpha, beta, gamma or something. I'm not really sure why/how this happens in the case of this virus, but there's always post-translational modifications that can occur to the protein in the RER or golgi.

 

[gublagu3]

Two protein with the same primary structure could also have different tertiary structures if placed in a different environment. For example, certain solvents can disrupt the normal folding of a protein, leading to a different shape.

 

[NextStepTutor_1]

Absolutely - as the 2 gents above described, a single amino acid sequence can exhibit different secondary, tertiary, and consequently quaternary structures either through it's own accord or via external disruptions or stimuli.
So, if one were to have 2 proteins with the same primary structure they could differ in their proceeding structures.

Cheers!

 

[Mad Jack]

Dat tertiary structure

 

[deleted633919]

Awesome. Thank you, everyone!