Figure 5
Molecular model of the zinc binding site. (a) Molecular arrangement of the Zn2+ binding site, formed by a peptide from the fibril core (black) and from the outer leaflet (grey). The distance between the nitrogen atoms of the imidazole groups and the Zn2+ ion is, along the dotted lines, approximately 2 Å. The distances between the Zn2+ complexing nitrogen atoms are between 3.3 and 3.6 Å. (b) Gaps in the outer leaflet of the amyloid fibril allow access of the substrate to the catalytic center.
