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. 1979 Aug;76(8):3656–3659. doi: 10.1073/pnas.76.8.3656

beta-Endorphin: formation of alpha-helix in lipid solutions.

C S Wu, N M Lee, H H Loh, J T Yang, C H Li
PMCID: PMC383891  PMID: 226973

Abstract

Human beta-endorphin adopts a partial helical conformation in aqueous solutions of cerebroside sulfate, ganglioside GM1, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidic acid, but not of cerebroside and phosphatidylcholine, as evidenced by circular dichroic spectra. Addition of Ca2+ to the peptide in cerebroside sulfate solution can break up the helix; at 10 mM Ca2+ the peptide (12 microM) essentially exists in an unordered form. For comparison, sheep beta-lipotropin in acidic cerebroside sulfate solution (pH less than 4) also has a partial helical conformation of the complex between human beta-endorphin and lipids may be related to the opiatelike function of this peptide hormone.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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