Leucine Rich Repeats: Sequences Structures Ligand - Interactions and Evolution

We characterize eight families of Leucine Rich Repeat (LRR) units in terms of their amino acid sequences and their tertiary structures. Tandem LRRs form helices with a broad range of parameters. These LRR helices have a broad range of functions in eukaryotes prokaryotes and viruses. We explore the relationships of these structures to the functions of the LRR proteins and consider their evolution(s).