The cytidylyltransferase superfamily: identification of the nucleotide-binding site and fold prediction

Proteins. 1995 Jul;22(3):259-66. doi: 10.1002/prot.340220306.

Abstract

The crystal structure of glycerol-3-phosphate cytidylyltransferase from B. subtilis (TagD) is about to be solved. Here, we report a testable structure prediction based on the identification by sequence analysis of a superfamily of functionally diverse but structurally similar nucleotide-binding enzymes. We predict that TagD is a member of this family. The most conserved region in this superfamily resembles the ATP-binding HiGH motif of class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. The predicted secondary structure of cytidylyltransferase and its homologues is compatible with the alpha/beta topography of the class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. The hypothesis of similarity of fold is strengthened by sequence-structure alignment and 3D model building using the known structure of tyrosyl tRNA synthetase as template. The proposed 3D model of TagD is plausible both structurally, with a well packed hydrophobic core, and functionally, as the most conserved residues cluster around the putative nucleotide binding site. If correct, the model would imply a very ancient evolutionary link between class I tRNA synthetases and the novel cytidylyltransferase superfamily.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases / chemistry
  • Bacillus subtilis / enzymology*
  • Binding Sites
  • Biological Evolution
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nucleotides / metabolism
  • Nucleotidyltransferases / chemistry*
  • Nucleotidyltransferases / metabolism
  • Protein Folding
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis

Substances

  • Nucleotides
  • Nucleotidyltransferases
  • glycerol-3-phosphate cytidylyltransferase
  • Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases