Dimeric dUTPases, HisE, and MazG belong to a new superfamily of all-alpha NTP pyrophosphohydrolases with potential "house-cleaning" functions

J Mol Biol. 2005 Mar 25;347(2):243-55. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2005.01.030. Epub 2005 Jan 27.

Abstract

Structure-guided analysis of the new dimeric dUTPase family revealed its sequence relationship to the phage T4 dCTPase, phosphoribosyl-ATP pyrophosphatase HisE, NTP pyrophosphatase MazG, and several uncharacterized protein families, including the human protein XTP3TPA (RS21-C6), which is overexpressed in embryonic and cancer cells. Comparison with the recently determined structure of a MazG-like protein from Sulfolobus solfataricus supported the unification of these enzymes in one superfamily of all-alpha NTP pyrophosphatases, suggesting that dimeric dUTPases evolved from a tetrameric MazG-like ancestor by gene duplication. Analysis of the structure of the Sulfolobus MazG points to 2-hydroxyadenosine (isoguanosine) triphosphate, a product of oxidative damage of ATP, as the most likely substrate. We predict that uncharacterized members of this superfamily perform "house-cleaning" functions by hydrolyzing abnormal NTPs and are functionally analogous to the structurally unrelated hydrolases of the Nudix superfamily. We outline probable tertiary and quaternary structures of the all-alpha NTP pyrophosphatase superfamily members.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacterial Proteins* / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins* / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins* / metabolism
  • Dimerization
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary*
  • Protein Subunits / chemistry
  • Pyrophosphatases* / chemistry
  • Pyrophosphatases* / genetics
  • Pyrophosphatases* / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Sulfolobus solfataricus / enzymology

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Protein Subunits
  • Pyrophosphatases
  • dUTP pyrophosphatase
  • phosphoribosyl-ATP pyrophosphatase
  • nucleoside triphosphate pyrophosphatase

Associated data

  • PDB/1Y6X
  • PDB/1YVW
  • PDB/1YXB