Quantum chemistry methods (ab initio, RHF + MP2(FULL), 6-31G** basis set) were used to study proton migration in tyrosine stacks mimicking the proton channel in tubulin and other proteins. When bound to guanosine-5′-triphosphate, Mg2+ favors the dissociation of water in its first coordination shell, thus initiating subsequent proton shifts in the tyrosine chain composed of spatially remote tyrosine residues of tubulin. The process appears to be thermodynamically allowed, ΔG298 < 0 with a potential barrier along the proton shift of no more than 0.75 kcal/mol. The exposure to external electrical field of low intensity, which simulates the elektret properties of tubulin, promotes proton migration over long distances.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)587-588
Number of pages2
JournalBiofizika
Volume46
Issue number4
StatePublished - 2001

    Research areas

  • External electrical field, Hydrogen bond, Magnesium cofactor, Proton migration, Quantum chemistry, Tubulin

    Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine(all)

ID: 89840623