Abstract
Moonlighting proteins comprise a class of multifunctional proteins in which a single polypeptide chain performs multiple biochemical functions that are not due to gene fusions, multiple RNA splice variants or pleiotropic effects. The known moonlighting proteins perform a variety of diverse functions in many different cell types and species, and information about their structures and functions is scattered in many publications. We have constructed the manually curated, searchable, internet-based MoonProt Database (http://www.moonlightingproteins.org) with information about the over 200 proteins that have been experimentally verified to be moonlighting proteins. The availability of this organized information provides a more complete picture of what is currently known about moonlighting proteins. The database will also aid researchers in other fields, including determining the functions of genes identified in genome sequencing projects, interpreting data from proteomics projects and annotating protein sequence and structural databases. In addition, information about the structures and functions of moonlighting proteins can be helpful in understanding how novel protein functional sites evolved on an ancient protein scaffold, which can also help in the design of proteins with novel functions.
Highlights
It has been known for many years that some soluble enzymes have a second function as structural proteins in the lens of the eye [1,2] or in binding to DNA or RNA to regulate translation or transcription [3]
Moonlighting proteins do not include pleiotropic proteins, where a protein has multiple downstream cellular roles in different pathways or physiological processes that result from a single biochemical function of a protein
Mutagenic or other evidence to support the presence of multiple functions was required and was critically reviewed by the Principle Investigator (PI) before the protein was accepted for inclusion in the MoonProt Database
Summary
It has been known for many years that some soluble enzymes have a second function as structural proteins in the lens of the eye (crystallins) [1,2] or in binding to DNA or RNA to regulate translation or transcription [3]. D278 Nucleic Acids Research, 2015, Vol 43, Database issue diverse examples of moonlighting proteins already identified, the methods by which one protein can moonlight, the two proposed models for the evolution of moonlighting functions and the potential benefits moonlighting proteins might provide through coordinating cellular activities, suggest that moonlighting proteins are likely to be common.
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