Dodecamer

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Dodecameric is a term pertaining to protein quaternary structure, and describes a protein complex with 12 protein subunits (protein chains). Dodecameric complexes can have a number of subunit 'topologies', but typically only a few of the theoretically possible subunit arrangements are observed in protein structures.

A dodecamer is a protein complex with 12 protein subunits.

A common subunit arrangement involves a tetrahedral distribution of subunit trimers (or 3-4-point symmetry). Another observed arrangement of subunits puts two rings of six subunits side by side along the six fold axis (or 2-6-point symmetry).

Dodecameric proteins include

• glutamine synthetase (PDB code: 2gls)
• Dodecameric ferritin (PDB code: 1qgh)

References

• The Protein Data Bank (PDB)
• The Protein Quaternary Structure Server (PQS) (which is now a part of the Macromolecular Structure Database (MSD).