The sequences of alpha-helical coiled-coils and bundles are characterized by a specific pattern of hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues which is repeated every seven residues. Highly conserved breaks in this pattern frequently occur in segments of otherwise continuous heptad substructures. The hairpin bend of the ROP protein coincides with such a break and provides a model system for the study of the structural effects induced by heptad discontinuities. The structure of a ROP mutant which re-establishes a continuous heptad pattern, shows insignificant changes relative to the wild-type protein, as is also reflected in its conformational stability, spectroscopic properties and unfolding behaviour. Thus, formation of alpha-alpha-hairpin bends may occur both in the presence and absence of heptad breaks.