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In search of the prototype of nitric oxide synthase
Author(s) -
Zemojtel Tomasz,
Wade Rebecca C,
Dandekar Thomas
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(03)01081-0
Subject(s) - oxygenase , reductase , sulfite reductase , flavoprotein , nitric oxide synthase , biochemistry , chemistry , domain (mathematical analysis) , enzyme , atp synthase , gene , biology , mathematical analysis , mathematics
Recent identification of the prokaryotic genes related to the catalytic oxygenase domain of mammalian nitric oxide synthase (NOS) has led to speculations on the origins of the NO signaling network. NOS activity in eukaryotes relies on the concerted action of the oxygenase domain with an electron‐donating reductase domain that is fused to it. A fused reductase domain is, however, absent in prokaryotes. Consequently, we searched bacterial genomes for homologs of the reductase domain and identified candidate genes. On the basis of genomic sequence and protein structural analysis, we here propose that sulfite reductase flavoprotein is a prototype of the mammalian NOS reductase domain and a complementing interaction partner of the bacterial NOS oxygenase protein.