Use of hydrophobic moment plot methodology to aid the identification of oblique orientated alpha-helices

A number of alpha -helix forming peptides have been reported which appear t o promote membrane fusion and other biological events related to the disrup tion of a hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface, due to the presence of a hydro phobicity gradient along the helical long axis, When alpha -helices from th is class were analysed according to hydrophobic moment plot methodology a l inear association was found to exist between the mean hydrophobic moment, < <mu>(H)>, and the corresponding mean hydrophobicity, <H-0>, This associatio n was described by the least squares regression line: < mu (H) > = 0.508 - 0.422 < H-0 > and, here, a methodology to aid the prediction of oblique ori entated alpha -helices is presented, based on a 99% prediction band around this regression line. This methodology is intended to provide an initial id entification of candidates for further investigation by other techniques su ch as the molecular hydrophobic potential and laboratory based experimentat ion, not to assign function.