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- *********************************************
- * Nitrilases / cyanide hydratase signatures *
- *********************************************
-
- Nitrilases (EC 3.5.5.1) are enzymes that convert nitriles into their
- corresponding acids and ammonia. They are widespread in microbes as well as in
- plants where they convert indole-3-acetonitrile to the hormone indole-3-
- acetic acid. A conserved cysteine has been shown [1,2] to be essential for
- enzyme activity; it seems to be involved in a nucleophilic attack on the
- nitrile carbon atom.
-
- Cyanide hydratase (EC 4.2.1.66) converts HCN to formamide. In phytopathogenic
- fungi, it is used to avoid the toxic effect of cyanide released by wounded
- plants [3]. The sequence of cyanide hydrolase is evolutionary related to that
- of nitrilases.
-
- As signature patterns for these enzymes, we selected two conserved regions.
- The first is located in the N-terminal section while the second, which
- contains the active site cysteine, is located in the central section.
-
- -Consensus pattern: A-x(3)-G-x(2)-[LIVMFY](2)-x-F-x-E-x-[FYW]-[LIVM]-x-G-Y-P
- -Sequences known to belong to this class detected by the pattern: ALL.
- -Other sequence(s) detected in SWISS-PROT: NONE.
-
- -Consensus pattern: G-[GAQ]-x(2)-C-[WA]-E-[NH]-x(2)-[PST]-[LIVMFY]-x-[KR]
- [C is the active site residue]
- -Sequences known to belong to this class detected by the pattern: ALL.
- -Other sequence(s) detected in SWISS-PROT: NONE.
-
- -Last update: October 1993 / First entry.
-
- [ 1] Kobayashi M., Izui H., Nagasawa T., Yamada H.
- Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:247-251(1993).
- [ 2] Kobayashi M., Komeda H., Yanaka N., Nagasawa T., Yamada H.
- J. Biol. Chem. 267:20746-20751(1992).
- [ 3] Wang P., Vanetten H.D.
- Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 187:1048-1054(1992).
-