Sandbox Reserved 1475: Difference between revisions

This molecular structure is Retinal Dehydrogenase Type Two (RalDH2) which was extracted from ''Rattus norvegicus''.<ref name="Lamb AL, Newcomber ME">PMID:10320326</ref> The sample was a crystallization of a clone of RalDH2 that was  given as a gift from J. L. Napoli. It has been shown that RalDH2, the cellular binding protein type I, and the retinol binding protein receptor all co-localize in tissues that require Vitamin A (retinol) for normal development in rat embryos post-gastrulation, as discussed by "personal communication" to the authors of the ''"The Structure of Retinal Dehydrogenase Type II at 2.7 Angstrom Resolution: Implications for Retinal Specificity"''.<ref name="Lamb AL, Newcomber ME" /> This enzyme is part of the super family Aldehyde Dehydrogenase. The function of this enzyme is to catalyze the oxidation of retinal to retinoic acid. Retinoic acid produces a putative morphogen that initiates pattern formation in the early embryo.<ref name="Lamb AL, Newcomber ME" /> This is the last step in the formation of the hormone from Vitamin A (retinol).<ref name="Lamb AL, Newcomber ME" /> Vitamin A that has been metabolized can produce retinoid derivatives which function in either vision or growth and development. <ref name ="Families of Retinoic Dehydrogenases" /> RalDH2 is expressed in ''Escherichia coli'' strain BL21(DE3) <ref name=Lamb Al, Wang X>PMID:9761861</ref>