Serotonin N-acetyltransferase
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Kristine Faye Pobre (Talk | contribs)
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Most organisms experience a 24-hr cycle due to the environmental dark/light cycle. Melatonin is one of the output signals which causes these rhythms. Circulating melatonin is higher at night acting as a downstream as well as a feedback signal for the biological clock [1]. Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland by two enzymes: 1) serotonin N-acetyltransferase or arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT). The AANAT catalyzes the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl coenzyme A (AcCoA) to the primary amine of serotonin, producing the product, N-acetylserotonin, which is then methylated by HIOMT to produce melatonin. (insert the picture from the article).
The determination of the structure of serotonin N-acetyltransferase is important in order to understand the nature of substrate binding and to know the mechanism of catalysis. Further, it helps in designing compounds that inhibit catalysis and prevent proteolysis for treatment of diseases which are melatonin-related (e.g. sleep disorder and jet lag) and serotonin-related (depression and obesity).
References
- ↑ Hickman AB, Namboodiri MA, Klein DC, Dyda F. The structural basis of ordered substrate binding by serotonin N-acetyltransferase: enzyme complex at 1.8 A resolution with a bisubstrate analog. Cell. 1999 Apr 30;97(3):361-9. PMID:10319816
