3ej8 is a 4 chain structure with sequence from Human. Full crystallographic information is available from OCA. For a guided tour on the structure components use FirstGlance.
[NOS2_HUMAN] Produces nitric oxide (NO) which is a messenger molecule with diverse functions throughout the body. In macrophages, NO mediates tumoricidal and bactericidal actions. Also has nitrosylase activity and mediates cysteine S-nitrosylation of cytoplasmic target proteins such COX2.
Evolutionary Conservation
Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf.
Publication Abstract from PubMed
Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzymes synthesize nitric oxide, a signal for vasodilatation and neurotransmission at low concentrations and a defensive cytotoxin at higher concentrations. The high active site conservation among all three NOS isozymes hinders the design of selective NOS inhibitors to treat inflammation, arthritis, stroke, septic shock and cancer. Our crystal structures and mutagenesis results identified an isozyme-specific induced-fit binding mode linking a cascade of conformational changes to a new specificity pocket. Plasticity of an isozyme-specific triad of distant second- and third-shell residues modulates conformational changes of invariant first-shell residues to determine inhibitor selectivity. To design potent and selective NOS inhibitors, we developed the anchored plasticity approach: anchor an inhibitor core in a conserved binding pocket, then extend rigid bulky substituents toward remote specificity pockets, which become accessible upon conformational changes of flexible residues. This approach exemplifies general principles for the design of selective enzyme inhibitors that overcome strong active site conservation.
Anchored plasticity opens doors for selective inhibitor design in nitric oxide synthase.,Garcin ED, Arvai AS, Rosenfeld RJ, Kroeger MD, Crane BR, Andersson G, Andrews G, Hamley PJ, Mallinder PR, Nicholls DJ, St-Gallay SA, Tinker AC, Gensmantel NP, Mete A, Cheshire DR, Connolly S, Stuehr DJ, Aberg A, Wallace AV, Tainer JA, Getzoff ED Nat Chem Biol. 2008 Nov;4(11):700-7. Epub 2008 Oct 12. PMID:18849972[1]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
