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α/β Barrel evolution and the modular assembly of enzymes: Emerging trends in the flavin oxidase/dehydrogenase family
Author(s) -
Scrutton Nigel S.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.950160208
Subject(s) - flavin group , molecular evolution , biology , flavin adenine dinucleotide , barrel (horology) , dehydrogenase , enzyme , biochemistry , directed evolution , genetics , cofactor , oxidase test , gene , phylogenetic tree , materials science , mutant , composite material
α/β barrels have an ill‐defined origin. Evidence exists which favours their divergent evolution from a common ancestral barrel and convergent evolution to a stable fold. However, recent sequence and structural information for the flavin oxidase/dehydrogenase family of barrel enzymes indicate that sub‐families of α/β barrels have evolved divergently. The modular fusion of barrel domains with core structures from other gene families has also contributed to the evolution of related but catalytically distinct enzyme molecules within each sub‐family of the flavin oxidases/dehydrogenases. An analysis of the structures and sequences of the flavin oxidases/dehydrogenases has now enabled studies focusing on the evolutionary origins and modular assembly of this important family of proteins to be initiated.