Enzyme mechanisms: Sugary shears
October 18th, 2016 by Ethan D Goddard-Borger
Nature Chemical Biology 12, 892 (2016). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2216
Author: Ethan D Goddard-Borger
Proteolytic maturation of an important transcriptional regulator is performed by a glycosyltransferase. The reaction involves glycosylation of a glutamate residue and conversion of the γ-glycosyl ester product into an N-acyl pyroglutamate, which undergoes spontaneous hydrolysis to effect peptide backbone fission.