PROSITE documentation PDOC00184Arthropod hemocyanins / insect LSPs signatures
Hemocyanins are copper-containing oxygen carriers occurring freely dissolved in the hemolymph of many molluscs and arthropods [1]. Arthropod hemocyanins consist of hexamer or multi-hexamers with subunits of about 75 Kd. Each of these subunits binds two copper ions.
Larval storage proteins (LSP) [2] are proteins from the hemolymph of insects, which may serve as a store of amino acids for synthesis of adult proteins. There are two classes of LSP's: arylphorins, which are rich in aromatic amino acids, and methionine-rich LSP's. LSP's forms hexameric complexes. LSP's are structurally related to arthropod hemocyanins.
In the lepidopteran Trichoplusia ni a protein has been found [3] which is associated with larval metamorphosis. This protein, which is called acidic juvenile hormone-suppressible protein 1 (AJSP-1) is also structurally related to arthropod hemocyanins.
As signature patterns for these proteins we selected two conserved regions, the first of these regions is located in the N-terminal section of these proteins and include a conserved histidine residue which, in hemocyanins, binds a copper atom. The second pattern is located in the central part of the protein.
Note:See also the pattern for the copper B binding site of tyrosinase <PDOC00398>; this pattern will also pick up all arthropod and mollusc hemocyanins.
Last update:November 1997 / Patterns and text revised.
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PROSITE methods (with tools and information) covered by this documentation:
| 1 | Authors | Linzen B. |
| Title | Blue blood: structure and evolution of hemocyanin. | |
| Source | Naturwissenschaften 76:206-211(1989). | |
| PubMed ID | 2664531 |
| 2 | Authors | Willott E. Wang X.-Y. Wells M.A. |
| Title | cDNA and gene sequence of Manduca sexta arylphorin, an aromatic amino acid-rich larval serum protein. Homology to arthropod hemocyanins. | |
| Source | J. Biol. Chem. 264:19052-19059(1989). | |
| PubMed ID | 2808410 |
| 3 | Authors | Jones G. Brown N. Manczak M. Hiremath S. Kafatos F.C. |
| Title | Molecular cloning, regulation, and complete sequence of a hemocyanin-related, juvenile hormone-suppressible protein from insect hemolymph. | |
| Source | J. Biol. Chem. 265:8596-8602(1990). | |
| PubMed ID | 2341396 |
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