In enzymology, an amidase (EC3.5.1.4, acylamidase, acylase (misleading), amidohydrolase (ambiguous), deaminase (ambiguous), fatty acylamidase, N-acetylaminohydrolase (ambiguous)) is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of an amide:
Amidases contain a conserved stretch of approximately 130 amino acids known as the AS sequence. They are widespread, being found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. AS enzymescatalyse the hydrolysis of amidebonds (CO-NH2), although the family has diverged widely with regard to substrate specificity and function. Nonetheless, these enzymes maintain a core alpha/beta/alpha structure, where the topologies of the N- and C-terminal halves are similar. AS enzymes characteristically have a highly conserved C-terminal region rich in serine and glycine residues, but devoid of aspartic acid and histidine residues, therefore they differ from classical serine hydrolases. These enzymes possess a unique, highly conserved Ser-Ser-Lys catalytic triad used for amide hydrolysis, although the catalytic mechanism for acyl-enzyme intermediate formation can differ between enzymes.[1]
Examples of AS signature-containing enzymes include:
Subunit A of Glu-tRNA(Gln) amidotransferase,[4] a heterotrimeric enzyme that catalyses the formation of Gln-tRNA(Gln) by the transamidation of misacylated Glu-tRNA(Gln) via amidolysis of glutamine.
^Kwak JH, Shin K, Woo JS, Kim MK, Kim SI, Eom SH, Hong KW (December 2002). "Expression, purification, and crystallization of glutamyl-tRNA(Gln) specific amidotransferase from Bacillus stearothermophilus". Mol. Cells14 (3): 374–81. PMID12521300.
Bray HG, James SP, Raffan IM, Ryman BE and Thorpe WV (1949). "The fate of certain organic acids and amides in the rabbit. 7. An amidase of rabbit liver". Biochem. J.44: 618–625.
Bray HG, James SP, Thorpe WV and Wasdell MR (1950). "The fate of certain organic acids and amides in the rabbit. 11 Further observations on the hydrolysis of amides by tissue extracts". Biochem. J.47: 294–299.