Year: 1989
Type: review
Abstract: A compilation is presented of viral proteins containing the NTP-binding sequence pattern, and criteria are suggested for assessment of the functional significance of the occurrence of this pattern in protein sequences. It is shown that the distribution of NTP-binding pattern-containing proteins through the viral kingdom is strongly non-random. Sequence comparisons led to delineation of several families of these proteins, some of which could be brought together into superfamilies including also cellular proteins. The available biochemical evidence is compatible with the proposal that viral proteins in which the NTP-binding pattern is evolutionarily conserved might all be NTPases involved in: i) duplex unwinding during DNA and RNA replication, transcription, recombination and repair, and possibly mRNA translation; ii) DNA packaging, and iii) dNTP generation.
Source: Nucleic Acids Research
Authors: Alexander E. Gorbalenya, Eugene V. Koonin
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2126505139