Virtuelle (Nano) Welten PDB Molecule of the Month 83: Fibrin

Exploring the Structure

PDB entry 2a45 shows fibrin in the process of being activated by thrombin. Only the center part of fibrin is included in the structure--you have to imagine the rest of the molecule extended right and left. Thrombin (blue) binds on the two sides of the central knob in fibrinogen, placing its active site in perfect proximity to the flexible chains that have to be cleaved. The small green molecules are inhibitors bound in the active site of thrombin.

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A list of 'fibrin' related entries in the PDB as determined by a keyword search on October 30, 2006 is available. For more reading on fibrin, click here.