Biomaterial Database

Evolution of blue copper proteins. 1988

L Rydén

Department of Biochemistry, Uppsala University, Sweden.

The evolutionary relationships of blue copper proteins are reviewed. Five homologous families of small blue proteins are recognized. Despite differences in length their peptide chains can all be accommodated into the eight-stranded fold of plastocyanin with some adjustments at three of the loops and the two termini. The C-termini of the blue oxidases ceruloplasmin and Neurospora laccase also fit into this fold and they are suggested to be homologous to the small blue proteins. The alignment of their amino acid sequences suggest some of the histidines to be binding active site copper. A superposition of the structures of poplar plastocyanin and bovine Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed that 68 out of 99 alpha-carbons in plastocyanin overlapped with corresponding atoms in SOD with a rms distance of 2.99 A. In addition three of the histidine residues that were proposed to be copper-binding in laccase and ceruloplasmin aligned with ligands to the Cu-Zn pair in a SOD. Thus also SOD might be related to the blue proteins.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008667	Metalloproteins	Proteins that have one or more tightly bound metal ions forming part of their structure. (Dorland, 28th ed)	Metalloprotein
D008958	Models, Molecular	Models used experimentally or theoretically to study molecular shape, electronic properties, or interactions; includes analogous molecules, computer-generated graphics, and mechanical structures.	Molecular Models,Model, Molecular,Molecular Model
D010088	Oxidoreductases	The class of all enzymes catalyzing oxidoreduction reactions. The substrate that is oxidized is regarded as a hydrogen donor. The systematic name is based on donor:acceptor oxidoreductase. The recommended name will be dehydrogenase, wherever this is possible; as an alternative, reductase can be used. Oxidase is only used in cases where O2 is the acceptor. (Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992, p9)	Dehydrogenases,Oxidases,Oxidoreductase,Reductases,Dehydrogenase,Oxidase,Reductase
D011487	Protein Conformation	The characteristic 3-dimensional shape of a protein, including the secondary, supersecondary (motifs), tertiary (domains) and quaternary structure of the peptide chain. PROTEIN STRUCTURE, QUATERNARY describes the conformation assumed by multimeric proteins (aggregates of more than one polypeptide chain).	Conformation, Protein,Conformations, Protein,Protein Conformations
D003300	Copper	A heavy metal trace element with the atomic symbol Cu, atomic number 29, and atomic weight 63.55.	Copper-63,Copper 63
D005075	Biological Evolution	The process of cumulative change over successive generations through which organisms acquire their distinguishing morphological and physiological characteristics.	Evolution, Biological
D001426	Bacterial Proteins	Proteins found in any species of bacterium.	Bacterial Gene Products,Bacterial Gene Proteins,Gene Products, Bacterial,Bacterial Gene Product,Bacterial Gene Protein,Bacterial Protein,Gene Product, Bacterial,Gene Protein, Bacterial,Gene Proteins, Bacterial,Protein, Bacterial,Proteins, Bacterial