cystine knot

noun

A protein structural motif containing three disulfide bridges formed from pairs of cysteine residues. The sections of polypeptide that occur between two of them form a loop through which a third disulfide bond passes, resulting in a rotaxane substructure. This motif stabilizes protein structure and is conserved in proteins across various species.

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Meanings

nouncystine knot (plural cystine knots)

plural cystine knots

  1. biochemistryA protein structural motif containing three disulfide bridges formed from pairs of cysteine residues. The sections of polypeptide that occur between two of them form a loop through which a third disulfide bond passes, resulting in a rotaxane substructure. This motif stabilizes protein structure and is conserved in proteins across various species.
Cite this entry
APA

cystine knot. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cystine%20knot

MLA

“cystine knot.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cystine%20knot. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cystine knot,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cystine%20knot.

Source: cystine knot on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.