Variations and constant patterns in eukaryotic MDR enzymes - Conclusions from novel structures and characterized genomes

Medium-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (MDR) alcohol dehydrogenases exhibit multiple forms through a number of gene duplications. A crucial duplicatio n was the one leading from the glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydroge nase line to the liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) lines of vertebrates, th e first duplication of which can now be further positioned at early vertebr ate times, Similarly, screening of MDR forms in recently completed eukaryot ic genomes of Caenorbabditis elegans and Drosophila: melanogaster suggest t hat the MDR family may constitute a moderately sized protein family centere d around a limited number of enzyme activities of five different structural types. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.