Structural characterization of nitric oxide synthase isoforms reveals striking active-site conservation.
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Fischmann TO, Hruza A, Niu XD, Fossetta JD, Lunn CA, Dolphin E, Prongay AJ, Reichert P, Lundell DJ, Narula SK, Weber PC
Structural characterization of nitric oxide synthase isoforms reveals striking active-site conservation.
Nat Struct Biol. 1999 Mar;6(3):233-42.
- PubMed ID
- 10074942 [ View in PubMed]
- Abstract
Crystal structures of human endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and human inducible NOS (iNOS) catalytic domains were solved in complex with the arginine substrate and an inhibitor S-ethylisothiourea (SEITU), respectively. The small molecules bind in a narrow cleft within the larger active-site cavity containing heme and tetrahydrobiopterin. Both are hydrogen-bonded to a conserved glutamate (eNOS E361, iNOS E377). The active-site residues of iNOS and eNOS are nearly identical. Nevertheless, structural comparisons provide a basis for design of isozyme-selective inhibitors. The high-resolution, refined structures of eNOS (2.4 A resolution) and iNOS (2.25 A resolution) reveal an unexpected structural zinc situated at the intermolecular interface and coordinated by four cysteines, two from each monomer.