Protein Secondary Structure Energy Landscape

Ramachandran plot — φ/ψ backbone dihedral angles and H-bond energetics

-60°
-45°
12
α-helix: φ=−60°, ψ=−45°. H-bonds from NH(i+4) to CO(i). Rise: 1.5 Å/residue, 3.6 res/turn.