Sequence comparison, molecular modeling, and network analysis predict structural diversity in cysteine proteases from the Cape sundew, Drosera capensis.

ABSTRACT: Carnivorous plants represent a so far underexploited reservoir of novel proteases with potentially useful activities. Here we investigate 44 cysteine proteases from the Cape sundew, Drosera capensis, predicted from genomic DNA sequences. D. capensis has a large number of cysteine protease genes; analysis of their sequences reveals homologs of known plant proteases, some of which are predicted to have novel properties. Many functionally significant sequence and structural features are observed, including targeting signals and occluding loops. Several of the proteases contain a new type of granulin domain. Although active site residues are conserved, the sequence identity of these proteases to known proteins is moderate to low; therefore, comparative modeling with all-atom refinement and sub

SUBMITTER: Butts CT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4949590 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature