Chitinase A N-terminal domain explained

Symbol:	ChitinaseA_N
ChitinaseA_N
Pfam:	PF08329
Pfam Clan:	CL0159
Interpro:	IPR013540
Scop:	1ctn
Cdd:	cd02848

In molecular biology, the chitinase A N-terminal domain is found at the N-terminus of a number of bacterial chitinases and similar viral proteins. It is organised into a fibronectin III module domain-like fold, comprising only beta strands. Its function is not known, but it may be involved in interaction with the enzyme substrate, chitin.^{[1] [2]} It is separated by a hinge region from the catalytic domain; this hinge region is probably mobile, allowing the N-terminal domain to have different relative positions in solution.^[1]

Notes and References

1. Perrakis A, Tews I, Dauter Z, Oppenheim AB, Chet I, Wilson KS, Vorgias CE . Crystal structure of a bacterial chitinase at 2.3 A resolution . Structure . 2 . 12 . 1169–80 . December 1994 . 7704527 . 10.1016/s0969-2126(94)00119-7. free .
2. Perrakis A, Ouzounis C, Wilson KS . Evolution of immunoglobulin-like modules in chitinases: their structural flexibility and functional implications . Fold Des . 2 . 5 . 291–4 . 1997 . 9377712 . 10.1016/s1359-0278(97)00040-0.