Glycoside hydrolases: catalytic base/nucleophile diversity
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1Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
Abstract:
Recent studies have shown that a number of glycoside hydrolase families do not follow the classical catalytic mechanisms, as they lack a typical catalytic base/nucleophile. A variety of mechanisms are used to replace this function, including substrate-assisted catalysis, a network of several residues, and the use of non-carboxylate residues or exogenous nucleophiles. Removal of the catalytic base/nucleophile by mutation can have a profound impact on substrate specificity, producing enzymes with completely new functions.
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