Comparison of Electronic Structures between Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 and Insulin

Abstract

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), whose structure is similar to insulin, promotes growth and differentiation of cells. On the other hand, insulin lowers the level of sugar in the blood. These proteins are similar in structure, but they bind to different receptors. To infer what differences are used to discriminate between them, we compared those electronic structures. As a result, the significant differences were found in the distribution on electrostatic potential and electron density.