Protein Evolution in 3D

Created By:
Martz, E.

About the Image

The ConSurf Server¹ colors 3D protein structures to show evolutionarily conserved or variable regions. Given a 3D structure (PDB file), ConSurf proceeds entirely automatically to find similar amino acid sequences, align them, construct a phylogenetic tree, and assign conservation grades. Results are visualized in Protein Explorer².

Above: Conservation of the ligand-binding site around Mg⁺⁺ in the metal ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS) domain of the leukocyte integrin intercellular adhesion molecule CD11a/CD18³ (also called LFA-1; PDB 1LFA).

1. Glaser, Pupko, Paz, Bechor, Martz, and Ben-Tal (submitted).
2. Martz, Trends Biochem. Sci. 27:107-9, 2002.
3. Davignon, Martz, Reynolds, Kürtzinger and Springer, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 78:4535-9, 1981.

Steven D. Brewer -- sbrewer@bio.umass.edu
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST