PMID: 12429096 , Related PDB id: 1LIZ

Authors:

Enggist E, Thony-Meyer L, Guntert P, Pervushin K

Title:

NMR structure of the heme chaperone CcmE reveals a novel functional motif.

Journal:

Structure. 2002 Nov;10(11):1551-7.

Abstract:

The concept of metal chaperones involves transient binding of metallic cofactors by specific proteins for delivery to enzymes in which they function. Metal chaperones thus provide a protective, as well as a transport, function. We report the first structure of a heme chaperone, CcmE, which comprises these two functions. We propose that the covalent attachment of heme to an exposed histidine occurs after heme binding at the surface of a rigid molecule with a flexible C-terminal domain. CcmE belongs to a family of proteins with a specific fold, which all share a function in delivery of specific molecular cargo.