Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2
pubmed:dateCreated
2009-1-5
pubmed:databankReference
pubmed:abstractText
The enzyme norcoclaurine synthase (NCS) catalyzes the stereospecific Pictet-Spengler cyclization between dopamine and 4-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde, the key step in the benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic pathway. The crystallographic structure of norcoclaurine synthase from Thalictrum flavum in its complex with dopamine substrate and the nonreactive substrate analogue 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde has been solved at 2.1A resolution. NCS shares no common features with the functionally correlated "Pictet-Spenglerases" that catalyze the first step of the indole alkaloids pathways and conforms to the overall fold of the Bet v1-like protein. The active site of NCS is located within a 20-A-long catalytic tunnel and is shaped by the side chains of a tyrosine, a lysine, an aspartic, and a glutamic acid. The geometry of the amino acid side chains with respect to the substrates reveals the structural determinants that govern the mechanism of the stereoselective Pictet-Spengler cyclization, thus establishing an excellent foundation for the understanding of the finer details of the catalytic process. Site-directed mutations of the relevant residues confirm the assignment based on crystallographic findings.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0021-9258
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
9
pubmed:volume
284
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
897-904
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2009
pubmed:articleTitle
Structural basis of enzymatic (S)-norcoclaurine biosynthesis.
pubmed:affiliation
Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche and Istituto di Biologia e Patologia Molecolari, CNR, Sapienza University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't