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- *************************************
- * Glutamyl-tRNA reductase signature *
- *************************************
-
- Delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is the obligatory precursor for the synthesis
- of all tetrapyrroles including porphyrin derivatives such as chlorophyll and
- heme. ALA can be synthesized via two different pathways: the Shemin (or C4)
- pathway which involves the single step condensation of succinyl-CoA and
- glycine and which is catalyzed by ALA synthase (EC 2.3.1.37) and via the C5
- pathway from the five-carbon skeleton of glutamate. The C5 pathway operates
- in the chloroplast of plants and algae, in cyanobacteria, in some eubacteria
- and in archaebacteria.
-
- The initial step in the C5 pathway is carried out by glutamyl-tRNA reductase
- (GluTR) [1] which catalyzes the NADP-dependent conversion of glutamate-
- tRNA(Glu) to glutamate-1-semialdehyde (GSA) with the concomitant release of
- tRNA(Glu) which can then be recharged with glutamate by glutamyl-tRNA
- synthetase.
-
- GluTR is a protein of about 50 Kd (515 to 550 residues) which contains a few
- conserved region. The best conserved region is located in positions 99 to 122
- in the sequence of known GluTR. This region seems important for the activity
- of the enzyme. We have developed a signature pattern from that conserved
- region.
-
- -Consensus pattern: H-L-x(2)-V-[GSAC](3)-[LIVM]-[DE]-S-[LIVM](3)-G-E-x-Q-I-L-
- [AG]-Q-V-[KR]
- -Sequences known to belong to this class detected by the pattern: ALL.
- -Other sequence(s) detected in SWISS-PROT: NONE.
- -Last update: December 1992 / First entry.
-
- [ 1] Jahn D., Verkamp E., Soll D.
- Trends Biochem. Sci. 17:215-218(1992).
-