This web page was produced as an assignment for Genetics 564, an undergraduate capstone course at UW-Madison
What are protein domains?
Domains are structural or functional units of a protein. They each have a particular function or interaction that contributes to the overall role of the protein. Domain analysis can be used to predict the function of a protein as similar domains generally have similar functions. [1]
Domains in MSH6
SMART identified three domains in the MSH6 protein. The PWWP domain is known for its conserved Pro-Trp-Trp-Pro residues. It is found in DNA-binding proteins. The MUTSd domain is the DNA-binding domain of the MUTS family of proteins. MUTSac is the ATPase domain of the MUTS family.
PFAM identified five domains in the MSH6 protein. These results are similar to those found in SMART, but PFAM has split the MUTS domains further. PFAM noted the PWWP domain, the MUTS I domain which is a DNA-binding domain, the MUTS II domain which is an RNase-H-like domain, MUTS III domain which is a structural domain, and the MUTS V domain which is an ATPase domain.
Domain Conservation
Conclusions
The MUTS family of domains is well conserved across the MSH6 homologs. The PWWP domain arose more recently as it is only present in the mammalian lineage. The MUTS family of domains reflect the molecular mechanism behind the role of MSH6 in the mismatch repair pathway. MSH6 has both a DNA-binding domain and an ATPase domain which reflect its role in identifying mismatched bases.
References: [1] EMBL-EBI. (2019). What are protein domains?. Retrieved from:https://www.ebi.ac.uk/training/online/course/introduction-protein-classification-ebi/protein-classification/what-are-protein-domains Images: Header: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSH6