Structure of tumour necrosis factor

• DOI: 10.1038/338225a0
• Publication Date: 2003-06-12T22:28:07Z
• Authors: E. Y. Jones; D. I. Stuart; N. P. C. Walker
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; Molecular Structure; Protein Conformation; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; 3. Good health

Tumour necrosis factor is a trimeric molecule, each subunit of which consists of an antiparallel beta-sandwich. Individual subunits from the trimer by a novel edge-to-face packing of beta-sheets. A comparison of the subunit fold with that of other proteins reveals a remarkable similarity to the 'jelly-roll' structural motif characteristic of viral coat proteins.