Structure and biochemical characterization of proliferating cellular nuclear antigen from a parasitic protozoon.
Cardona-Felix, C.S., Lara-Gonzalez, S., Brieba, L.G.(2011) Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr 67: 497-505
- PubMed: 21636889 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1107/S0907444911010547
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
3P91 - PubMed Abstract: 
Proliferating cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a toroidal-shaped protein that is involved in cell-cycle control, DNA replication and DNA repair. Parasitic protozoa are early-diverged eukaryotes that are responsible for neglected diseases. In this work, a PCNA from a parasitic protozoon was identified, cloned and biochemically characterized and its crystal structure was determined. Structural and biochemical studies demonstrate that PCNA from Entamoeba histolytica assembles as a homotrimer that is able to interact with and stimulate the activity of a PCNA-interacting peptide-motif protein from E. histolytica, EhDNAligI. The data indicate a conservation of the biochemical mechanisms of PCNA-mediated interactions between metazoa, yeast and parasitic protozoa.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Grupo de Bioquímica Estructural, Laboratorio Nacional de Genomica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Km 9.6 Libramiento Norte, Carretera Irapuato-León, 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, México.