| Primary Identifier | IPR020751 | Type | Homologous_superfamily |
| Short Name | aa-tRNA-synth_I_codon-bd_sub2 |
| description | The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (also known as aminoacyl-tRNA ligases) catalyse the attachment of an amino acid to its cognate transfer RNA molecule in a highly specific two-step reaction [, ]. These proteins differ widely in size and oligomeric state, and have limited sequence homology []. The 20 aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are divided into two classes, I and II. Class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases contain a characteristic Rossman fold catalytic domain and are mostly monomeric []. Class II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases share an anti-parallel β-sheet fold flanked by α-helices [], and are mostly dimeric or multimeric, containing at least three conserved regions [, , ]. However, tRNA binding involves an α-helical structure that is conserved between class I and class II synthetases. In reactions catalysed by the class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, the aminoacyl group is coupled to the 2'-hydroxyl of the tRNA, while, in class II reactions, the 3'-hydroxyl site is preferred. The synthetases specific for arginine, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, tyrosine, tryptophan, valine, and some lysine synthetases (non-eukaryotic group) belong to class I synthetases. The synthetases specific for alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, glycine, histidine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, and some lysine synthetases (non-archaeal group), belong to class-II synthetases. Based on their mode of binding to the tRNA acceptor stem, both classes of tRNA synthetases have been subdivided into three subclasses, designated 1a, 1b, 1c and 2a, 2b, 2c [].Structurally, an α-helix-bundle anticodon-binding domain characterises the class Ia synthetases, whereas the class Ib synthetases, GlnRS and GluRS have distinct anticodon-binding domains. The anticodon-binding domain has a multi-helical structure, consisting of two all-alpha subdomains. The Rossmann-fold, made up of alternate α-helices and β-sheets involved in ATP binding in the extended conformation, and the anticodon-binding domains are connected by a beta-α-α-beta-alpha topology ('SC fold') domain that contains the class I specific KMSKS motif [, ]. |
