In search of the prototype of nitric oxide synthase

FEBS Letters

Wade, Rebecca C¹  Dandekar, Thomas²  Zemojtel, Tomasz² 

[1] European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, D-69012 Heidelberg, Germany;Department of Bioinformatics, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany

关键词: Nitric oxide synthase;    Nitric oxide signaling;    Evolution;    Reductase domain;    Sulfite reductase;    NOS;    nitric oxide synthase;    bNOSoxy;    bacterial NOS oxygenase domain precursor;    NOSoxy;    oxygenase domain of NOS;    NOSred;    reductase domain of NOS;    BH4;    tetrahydrobiopterin;   

DOI  :  10.1016/S0014-5793(03)01081-0

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

Recent identification of the prokaryotic genes related to the catalytic oxygenase domain of mammalian nitric oxide synthase (NOS) has led to speculations on the origins of the NO signaling network. NOS activity in eukaryotes relies on the concerted action of the oxygenase domain with an electron-donating reductase domain that is fused to it. A fused reductase domain is, however, absent in prokaryotes. Consequently, we searched bacterial genomes for homologs of the reductase domain and identified candidate genes. On the basis of genomic sequence and protein structural analysis, we here propose that sulfite reductase flavoprotein is a prototype of the mammalian NOS reductase domain and a complementing interaction partner of the bacterial NOS oxygenase protein.

【 授权许可】

Unknown