The world's first wiki where authorship really matters (Nature Genetics, 2008). Due credit and reputation for authors. Imagine a global collaborative knowledge base for original thoughts. Search thousands of articles and collaborate with scientists around the globe.

wikigene or wiki gene protein drug chemical gene disease author authorship tracking collaborative publishing evolutionary knowledge reputation system wiki2.0 global collaboration genes proteins drugs chemicals diseases compound
Hoffmann, R. A wiki for the life sciences where authorship matters. Nature Genetics (2008)
 
 
 
 
 
 

Crystal structure of the MurG:UDP-GlcNAc complex reveals common structural principles of a superfamily of glycosyltransferases.

MurG is an essential glycosyltransferase that forms the glycosidic linkage between N-acetyl muramyl pentapeptide and N-acetyl glucosamine in the biosynthesis of the bacterial cell wall. This enzyme is a member of a major superfamily of NDP-glycosyltransferases for which no x-ray structures containing intact substrates have been reported. Here we present the 2.5-A crystal structure of Escherichia coli MurG in complex with its donor substrate, UDP-GlcNAc. Combined with genomic analysis of other superfamily members and site-specific mutagenesis of E. coli MurG, this structure sheds light on the molecular basis for both donor and acceptor selectivity for the superfamily. This structural analysis suggests that it will be possible to evolve new glycosyltransferases from prototypical superfamily members by varying two key loops while maintaining the overall architecture of the family and preserving key residues.[1]

References

  1. Crystal structure of the MurG:UDP-GlcNAc complex reveals common structural principles of a superfamily of glycosyltransferases. Hu, Y., Chen, L., Ha, S., Gross, B., Falcone, B., Walker, D., Mokhtarzadeh, M., Walker, S. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (2003) [Pubmed]
 
WikiGenes - Universities