High molecular weight homologues of gp91phox, the superoxide-generating subunit of phagocyte nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-oxidase, have been identified in human (h) and Caenorhabditis elegans (Ce), and are termed Duox for "dual oxidase" because they have both a peroxidase homology domain and a gp91phox domain. A topology model predicts that the enzyme will utilize cytosolic NADPH to generate reactive oxygen, but the function of the ecto peroxidase domain was unknown. Ce-Duox1 is expressed in hypodermal cells underlying the cuticle of larval animals. To investigate function, RNA interference (RNAi) was carried out in C. elegans. RNAi animals showed complex phenotypes similar to those described previously in mutations in collagen biosynthesis that are known to affect the cuticle, an extracellular matrix. Electron micrographs showed gross abnormalities in the cuticle of RNAi animals. In cuticle, collagen and other proteins are cross-linked via di- and trityrosine linkages, and these linkages were absent in RNAi animals. The expressed peroxidase domains of both Ce-Duox1 and h-Duox showed peroxidase activity and catalyzed cross-linking of free tyrosine ethyl ester. Thus, Ce-Duox catalyzes the cross-linking of tyrosine residues involved in the stabilization of cuticular extracellular matrix.
Pubmed ID: 11514595 RIS Download
Publication data is provided by the National Library of Medicine ® and PubMed ®. Data is retrieved from PubMed ® on a weekly schedule. For terms and conditions see the National Library of Medicine Terms and Conditions.
A portal to the on-line prediction services at Center for Biological Sequence Analysis. All of the servers are available as interactive input forms, and most of the servers are also available as stand-alone software packages with the same functionality. Ready-to-ship packages exist for the most common UNIX platforms. In addition, for some servers, programmatic access is provided in the form of SOAP-based Web Services.
View all literature mentionsThe Center for Biological Sequence Analysis of the Technical University of Denmark conducts basic research in the field of bioinformatics and systems biology and directs its research primarily towards topics related to the elucidation of the functional aspects of complex biological mechanisms. A large number of computational methods have been produced, which are offered to others via WWW servers. Several data sets are also available. The center also has experimental efforts in gene expression analysis using DNA chips and data generation in relation to the physical and structural properties of DNA. The on-line prediction services at CBS are available as interactive input forms. Most of the servers are also available as stand-alone software packages with the same functionality. In addition, for some servers, programmatic access is provided in the form of SOAP-based Web Services. The center also educates engineering students in biotechnology and systems biology and offers a wide range of courses in bioinformatics, systems biology, human health, microbiology and nutrigenomics.
View all literature mentions