Pancreatic phospholipase A(2): new views on old issues

The recent development in the structure-function relationship of pancreatic phospholipase A(2) is reviewed. The results of extensive studies by a comb ination of site-directed mutagenesis, X-ray crystallography, and NMR have p rovided new insight into several old issues. In particular, we summarize cu rrent views on the active site, the interfacial binding site, the mechanism of interfacial activation, the roles of the hydrogen-bonding network and t he catalytic dyad, and the conformational stability of the structure. (C) 1 999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.