A NOVEL ZINC-BINDING MOTIF FOUND IN 2 UBIQUITOUS DEAMINASE FAMILIES

Two families of deaminases, one specific for cytidine, the other for d eoxycytidylate, are shown to possess a novel zinc-binding motif, here designated ZBS. We have (1) identified the protein members of these 2 families, (2) carried out sequence analyses that allow specification o f this zinc-binding motif, and (3) determined signature sequences that will allow identification of additional members of these families as their sequences become available.