STUDIES ON THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF Al-(L-TRYPTOPHAN) INSULIN AT 2.1RESOLUTION

In order to study the biological effect of alterations to the N-terminus of the insulin A-chain, we have determined the crystal structure of Al-(L-Trp) insulin and discovered that it belongs to the trigohal system with space group R3. The parameters oof the unit cell are a=b=80.3A, c=37.5A. The model was adjusted and refined by using a stereochemically-restrained least squares program, assisted by manual revision of the model based on the difference Fourier map, to a final R-factor of 0.195. The main and side chains of both Al-(L-Trp) residues in the asymmetric unit are well ordered. It was found that the Al-Trp residue of molecule I occupied two distinct positions. We have proposed from the results of the three-dimensional structure that the 4-zinc insulin hexameric form is a stored state of insulin molecules in a conformation of low activity. The structural details of the insulin molecule and its structure and function relationship have also been discussed.