Asn141 is essential for DNA recognition by EcoRI restriction endonuclease

摘要

>The amino acid residue Asn141 of the restriction endonuclease EcoRI was proposed to make three hydrogen bonds to both adenine residues within the recognition sequence -GAATTC-. We have mutated Asn141 to alanine, aspartate, serine, and tyrosine. Only the serine mutant is active under normal buffer conditions although 1000-fold less than wild-type EcoRI. The alanine and aspartate mutants can be activated by Mn2+. At acidic pH the latter mutant becomes even more active than the wild-type enzyme in the presence of Mn2+. We conclude that Asn141 is essential for DNA recognition and that serine can partly substitute it.