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Updated: Jun 10, 2025

X-Ray Crystallography to Study the Oligomeric State Transition of the Thermotoga maritima M42 Aminopeptidase TmPep1050
Published on: May 13, 2020
Convergent evolution links molybdenum insertase domains with organism-specific sequences.
Miriam Rabenow1, Eduard Haar1, Katharina Schmidt1
1Department of Plant Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.
Gene fusion in eukaryotic Molybdenum cofactor (Moco) insertases is essential for fungal growth. A specific 20-amino acid sequence in the linkage region is critical for Moco biosynthesis and organism viability.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Molybdenum cofactor (Moco) biosynthesis is vital across life.
- Moco activates Molybdenum (Mo) via a pyranopterin scaffold.
- Gene fusion of the two-domain Mo insertase enzyme is observed in higher eukaryotes.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the evolutionary significance of Mo insertase gene fusion in eukaryotes.
- Elucidate the role of the linkage region in Mo insertase function.
- Determine the essential sequence elements for Mo insertase activity.
Main Methods:
- Studied Mo insertase fusion in Neurospora crassa.
- Experimentally substituted linkage regions and assessed Moco deficiency.
- Expressed separate enzyme domains to evaluate rescue capabilities.
- Performed stepwise truncation and structural modeling of the linkage region.
Main Results:
- Substitution of the linkage region caused Moco deficiency.
- Separate domain expression failed to rescue Moco-deficient strains.
- A 20-amino acid sequence within the linkage region was identified as essential for fungal growth.
Conclusions:
- Eukaryotic Mo insertase gene fusion is evolutionarily important.
- Specific sequence composition within the linkage region is critical for enzyme function.
- The identified 20-amino acid sequence is vital for Moco biosynthesis and fungal viability.
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