N-terminal Domain Of Unknown Function Research Articles

Functions of enzyme domains in 2-methylisoborneol biosynthesis and enzymatic synthesis of non-natural analogs.

Two aspects of the biosynthesis of the non-canonical terpene synthase for 2-methylisoborneol have been studied. Several 2-methylisoborneol synthases have a proline-rich N-terminal domain of unknown function. The results presented here demonstrate that this domain leads to a reduced enzyme activity, in addition to its ability to increase long-term solubility of the protein. Furthermore, the substrate scope of the 2-methylisoborneol synthase was investigated through enzyme incubations with several substrate analogs, giving access to two C12 monoterpenoids. Implications on the stereochemical course of the terpene cyclisation by 2-methylisoborneol synthase are discussed.

Uncovering a mammalian neural-specific poly(A) binding protein with unique properties.

The mRNA 3' poly(A) tail plays a critical role in regulating both mRNA translation and turnover. It is bound by the cytoplasmic poly(A) binding protein (PABPC), an evolutionarily conserved protein that can interact with translation factors and mRNA decay machineries to regulate gene expression. Mammalian PABPC1, the prototypical PABPC, is expressed in most tissues and interacts with eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G (eIF4G) to stimulate translation in specific contexts. In this study, we uncovered a new mammalian PABPC, which we named neural PABP (neuPABP), as it is predominantly expressed in the brain. neuPABP maintains a unique architecture as compared with other PABPCs, containing only two RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) and maintaining a unique N-terminal domain of unknown function. neuPABP expression is activated in neurons as they mature during synaptogenesis, where neuPABP localizes to the soma and postsynaptic densities. neuPABP interacts with the noncoding RNA BC1, as well as mRNAs coding for ribosomal and mitochondrial proteins. However, in contrast to PABPC1, neuPABP does not associate with actively translating mRNAs in the brain. In keeping with this, we show that neuPABP has evolved such that it does not bind eIF4G and as a result fails to support protein synthesis in vitro. Taken together, these results indicate that mammals have expanded their PABPC repertoire in the brain and propose that neuPABP may support the translational repression of select mRNAs.

A novel class of polymorphic toxins in Bacteroidetes.

Bacteroidetes are Gram-negative bacteria that are abundant in the environment as well as in the gut microbiota of animals. Many bacteroidetes encode large proteins containing an N-terminal domain of unknown function, named TANFOR. In this work, we show that TANFOR-containing proteins carry polymorphic C-terminal toxin domains with predicted antibacterial and anti-eukaryotic activities. We also show that a C-terminal domain that is prevalent in TANFOR-containing proteins represents a novel family of antibacterial DNase toxins, which we named BaCT (Bacteroidetes C-terminal Toxin). Finally, we discover that TANFOR-encoding gene neighborhoods are enriched with genes that encode substrates of the type IX secretion system (T9SS), which is involved in exporting proteins from the periplasm across the outer membrane. Based on these findings, we conclude that TANFOR-containing proteins are a new class of polymorphic toxins, and we hypothesize that they are T9SS substrates.

Structural analysis of a Vibrio phospholipase reveals an unusual Ser–His–chloride catalytic triad

Phospholipases can disrupt host membranes and are important virulence factors in many pathogens. VvPlpA is a phospholipase A2 secreted by Vibrio vulnificus and essential for virulence. Its homologs, termed thermolabile hemolysins (TLHs), are widely distributed in Vibrio bacteria, but no structural information for this virulence factor class is available. Herein, we report the crystal structure of VvPlpA to 1.4-Å resolution, revealing that VvPlpA contains an N-terminal domain of unknown function and a C-terminal phospholipase domain and that these two domains are packed closely together. The phospholipase domain adopts a typical SGNH hydrolase fold, containing the four conserved catalytic residues Ser, Gly, Asn, and His. Interestingly, the structure also disclosed that the phospholipase domain accommodates a chloride ion near the catalytic His residue. The chloride is five-coordinated in a distorted bipyramid geometry, accepting hydrogen bonds from a water molecule and the amino groups of surrounding residues. This chloride substitutes for the most common Asp/Glu residue and forms an unusual Ser-His-chloride catalytic triad in VvPlpA. The chloride may orient the catalytic His and stabilize the charge on its imidazole ring during catalysis. Indeed, VvPlpA activity depended on chloride concentration, confirming the important role of chloride in catalysis. The VvPlpA structure also revealed a large hydrophobic substrate-binding pocket that is capable of accommodating a long-chain acyl group. Our results provide the first structure of the TLH family and uncover an unusual Ser-His-chloride catalytic triad, expanding our knowledge on the biological role of chloride.

The N-terminal domain of unknown function (DUF959) in collagen XVIII is intrinsically disordered and highly O-glycosylated.

Collagen XVIII (ColXVIII) is a non-fibrillar collagen and proteoglycan that exists in three isoforms: short, medium and long. The medium and long isoforms contain a unique N-terminal domain of unknown function, DUF959, and our sequence-based secondary structure predictions indicated that DUF959 could be an intrinsically disordered domain. Recombinant DUF959 produced in mammalian cells consisted of ∼50% glycans and had a molecular mass of 63 kDa. Circular dichroism spectroscopy confirmed the disordered character of DUF959, and static light scattering indicated a monomeric state for glycosylated DUF959 in solution. Small-angle X-ray scattering showed DUF959 to be a highly extended, flexible molecule with a maximum dimension of ∼23 nm. Glycosidase treatment demonstrated considerable amounts of O-glycosylation, and expression of DUF959 in HEK293 SimpleCells capable of synthesizing only truncated O-glycans confirmed the presence of N-acetylgalactosamine-type O-glycans. The DUF959 sequence is characterized by numerous Ser and Thr residues, and this accounts for the finding that half of the recombinant protein consists of glycans. Thus, the medium and long ColXVIII isoforms contain at their extreme N-terminus a disordered, elongated and highly O-glycosylated mucin-like domain that is not found in other collagens, and we suggest naming it the Mucin-like domain in ColXVIII (MUCL-C18). As intrinsically disordered regions and their post-translational modifications are often involved in protein interactions, our findings may point towards a role of the flexible mucin-like domain of ColXVIII as an interaction hub affecting cell signaling. Moreover, the MUCL-C18 may also serve as a lubricant at cell-extracellular matrix interfaces.

Mutagenesis of ARS2 Domains To Assess Possible Roles in Cell Cycle Progression and MicroRNA and Replication-Dependent Histone mRNA Biogenesis.

ARS2 is a regulator of RNA polymerase II transcript processing through its role in the maturation of distinct nuclear cap-binding complex (CBC)-controlled RNA families. In this study, we examined ARS2 domain function in transcript processing. Structural modeling based on the plant ARS2 orthologue, SERRATE, revealed 2 previously uncharacterized domains in mammalian ARS2: an N-terminal domain of unknown function (DUF3546), which is also present in SERRATE, and an RNA recognition motif (RRM) that is present in metazoan ARS2 but not in plants. Both the DUF3546 and zinc finger domain (ZnF) were required for association with microRNA and replication-dependent histone mRNA. Mutations in the ZnF disrupted interaction with FLASH, a key component in histone pre-mRNA processing. Mutations targeting the Mid domain implicated it in DROSHA interaction and microRNA biogenesis. The unstructured C terminus was required for interaction with the CBC protein CBP20, while the RRM was required for cell cycle progression and for binding to FLASH. Together, our results support a bridging model in which ARS2 plays a central role in RNA recognition and processing through multiple protein and RNA interactions.

Vacuolar targeting of r-proteins in sugarcane leads to higher levels of purifiable commercially equivalent recombinant proteins in cane juice.

Sugarcane is an ideal candidate for biofarming applications because of its large biomass, rapid growth rate, efficient carbon fixation pathway and a well-developed storage tissue system. Vacuoles occupy a large proportion of the storage parenchyma cells in the sugarcane stem, and the stored products can be harvested as juice by crushing the cane. Hence, for the production of any high-value protein, it could be targeted to the lytic vacuoles so as to extract and purify the protein of interest from the juice. There is no consensus vacuolar-targeting sequence so far to target any heterologous proteins to sugarcane vacuole. Hence, in this study, we identified an N-terminal 78-bp-long putative vacuolar-targeting sequence from the N-terminal domain of unknown function (DUF) in Triticum aestivum 6-SFT (sucrose: fructan 6-fructosyl transferase). In this study, we have generated sugarcane transgenics with gene coding for the green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused with the vacuolar-targeting determinants at the N-terminal driven by a strong constitutive promoter (Port ubi882) and demonstrated the targeting of GFP to the vacuoles. In addition, we have also generated transgenics with His-tagged β-glucuronidase (GUS) and aprotinin targeted to the lytic vacuole, and these two proteins were isolated and purified from the transgenic sugarcane and compared with commercially available protein samples. Our studies have demonstrated that the novel vacuolar-targeting determinant could localize recombinant proteins (r-proteins) to the vacuole in high concentrations and such targeted r-proteins can be purified from the juice with a few simple steps.

Heterozygous HTRA1 mutations are associated with autosomal dominant cerebral small vessel disease.

Cerebral small vessel disease represents a heterogeneous group of disorders leading to stroke and cognitive impairment. While most small vessel diseases appear sporadic and related to age and hypertension, several early-onset monogenic forms have also been reported. However, only a minority of patients with familial small vessel disease carry mutations in one of known small vessel disease genes. We used whole exome sequencing to identify candidate genes in an autosomal dominant small vessel disease family in which known small vessel disease genes had been excluded, and subsequently screened all candidate genes in 201 unrelated probands with a familial small vessel disease of unknown aetiology, using high throughput multiplex polymerase chain reaction and next generation sequencing. A heterozygous HTRA1 variant (R166L), absent from 1000 Genomes and Exome Variant Server databases and predicted to be deleterious by in silico tools, was identified in all affected members of the index family. Ten probands of 201 additional unrelated and affected probands (4.97%) harboured a heterozygous HTRA1 mutation predicted to be damaging. There was a highly significant difference in the number of likely deleterious variants in cases compared to controls (P = 4.2 × 10(-6); odds ratio = 15.4; 95% confidence interval = 4.9-45.5), strongly suggesting causality. Seven of these variants were located within or close to the HTRA1 protease domain, three were in the N-terminal domain of unknown function and one in the C-terminal PDZ domain. In vitro activity analysis of HTRA1 mutants demonstrated a loss of function effect. Clinical features of this autosomal dominant small vessel disease differ from those of CARASIL and CADASIL by a later age of onset and the absence of the typical extraneurological features of CARASIL. They are similar to those of sporadic small vessel disease, except for their familial nature. Our data demonstrate that heterozygous HTRA1 mutations are an important cause of familial small vessel disease, and that screening of HTRA1 should be considered in all patients with a hereditary small vessel disease of unknown aetiology.

Identification and characterization of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) demethylase and TMAO permease in Methylocella silvestris BL2.

Methylocella silvestris, an alphaproteobacterium isolated from a forest soil, can grow on trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) as a sole nitrogen source; however, the molecular and biochemical mechanisms underpinning its growth remain unknown. Marker-exchange mutagenesis enabled the identification of several genes involved in TMAO metabolism, including Msil_3606, a permease of the amino acids-polyamine (APC) superfamily, and Msil_3603, consisting of an N-terminal domain of unknown function (DUF1989) and a C-terminal tetrahydrofolate-binding domain. Null mutants of Msil_3603 and Msil_3606 can no longer grow on TMAO. Purified Msil_3603 from recombinant Escherichia coli can convert TMAO to dimethylamine and formaldehyde (1 TMAO → 1 dimethylamine + 1 formaldehyde), confirming that it encodes a bona fide TMAO demethylase (Tdm). Tdm of M. silvestris and eukaryotic Tdms have no sequence homology and contrasting characteristics. Recombinant Tdm of M. silvestris appears to be hexameric, has a high affinity for TMAO (Km = 3.3 mM; Vmax = 21.7 nmol min(-1) mg(-1) ) and only catalyses demethylation of TMAO and a structural homologue, dimethyldodecylamine N-oxide. Our study has contributed to the understanding of the genetic and biochemical mechanisms for TMAO degradation in M. silvestris.

Crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of EccA1 ATPase from the ESX-1 secretion system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

EccA1 is an important component of the type VII secretion system (T7SS) that is responsible for transport of virulence factors in pathogenic mycobacteria. EccA1 has an N-terminal domain of unknown function and a C-terminal AAA+ (ATPases associated with various cellular activities) domain. Here we report the crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of EccA1 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which shows an arrangement of six tetratricopeptide repeats that may mediate interactions of EccA1 with secreted substrates. Furthermore, the size and shape of the N-terminal domain suggest its orientation in the context of a hexamer model of full-length EccA1.

Identification of the galactosyltransferase of Cryptococcus neoformans involved in the biosynthesis of basidiomycete-type glycosylinositolphosphoceramide

The pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans synthesizes a complex family of glycosylinositolphosphoceramide (GIPC) structures. These glycosphingolipids (GSLs) consist of mannosylinositolphosphoceramide (MIPC) extended by β1-6-linked galactose, a unique structure that has to date only been identified in basidiomycetes. Further extension by up to five mannose residues and a branching xylose has been described. In this study, we identified and determined the gene structure of the enzyme Ggt1, which catalyzes the transfer of a galactose residue to MIPC. Deletion of the gene in C. neoformans resulted in complete loss of GIPCs containing galactose, a phenotype that could be restored by the episomal expression of Ggt1 in the deletion mutant. The entire annotated open reading frame, encoding a C-terminal GT31 galactosyltransferase domain and a large N-terminal domain of unknown function, was required for complementation. Notably, this gene does not encode a predicted signal sequence or transmembrane domain. The demonstration that Ggt1 is responsible for the transfer of a galactose residue to a GSL thus raises questions regarding the topology of this biosynthetic pathway and the function of the N-terminal domain. Phylogenetic analysis of the GGT1 gene shows conservation in hetero- and homobasidiomycetes but no homologs in ascomycetes or outside of the fungal kingdom.

Preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of an N-terminal domain of unknown function from a putative glycosyltransferase fromStreptococcus parasanguinis

Serine-rich repeat glycoproteins (SRRPs) belong to a growing family of bacterial adhesins; they play important roles in bacterial virulence. Fap1, the first SRRP protein to be identified, is glycosylated; while the first two steps of its glycosylation have been determined, the remaining glycosylation steps are unknown. In a search for proteins that might be relevant to the glycosylation of Fap1, a putative glycosyltransferase (GalT1) from Streptococcus parasanguinis was identified. GalT1 possesses a domain of unknown function at the N-terminus. This domain is highly conserved in bacteria and is a member of a broad superfamily. However, the structure of this domain has not been determined. Here, the conditions used to produce a recombinant version of this protein domain and to grow protein crystals are reported. The crystals obtained belonged to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 71.0, b = 45.1, c = 78.6 Å, β = 109.6°, and diffracted to 1.55 Å resolution at a synchrotron X-ray source. This domain does not share sequence identity with proteins of known structures above a level of 12%.

Loss of HITS (FAM107B) expression in cancers of multiple organs: tissue microarray analysis

Family with sequence similarity 107 (FAM107) proteins consist of two subtypes, FAM107A and FAM107B in mammals, possessing a conserved N-terminal domain of unknown function. Recently we found that FAM107B, an 18 kDa nuclear protein, is expressed in a broad range of tissues and is downregulated in gastrointestinal cancer. Because FAM107B expression is amplified by heat-shock stimulation, we designated it heat shock-inducible tumor small protein (HITS). Although data related to FAM107A as a candidate tumor suppressor have been accumulated, little biological information is available for HITS. In the present study, we examined HITS expression using immunohistochemistry with tissue microarrays and performed detailed statistical analyses. By screening a high-density multiple organ tumor and normal tissue microarray, HITS expression was decreased in tumor tissues of the breast, thyroid, testis and uterine cervix as well as the stomach and colon. Further analysis of tissue microarrays of individual organs showed that loss of HITS expression in cancer tissues was statistically significant and commonly observed in distinct organs in a histological type-specific manner. The HITS expression intensity was inversely correlated with the primary tumor size in breast and thyroid cancers. In addition, effects of tetracycline-inducible HITS expression on tumor growth were investigated in vivo. Forced expression of HITS inhibited tumor xenograft proliferation, compared with the mock-treated tumor xenograft model. These results show that loss of HITS expression is a common phenomenon observed in cancers of distinct organs and involved in tumor development and proliferation.

Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum Holo‐ACP Synthase: a Potential Antimalarial Drug Target

The protozoan parasite Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for the most lethal form of malaria and kills about one million people annually, most of whom are children in sub‐Saharan Africa. Fatty acid synthesis (FAS) is a validated antimalarial strategy: it occurs in a specialized parasite organelle (the apicoplast) and uses a dissociated type II FAS system similar to bacteria. Bioinformatics analysis indicates that P. falciparum encodes a single enzyme, holo‐ACP synthase (PfAcpS), responsible for activating acyl carrier protein (ACP) involved in FAS. PfAcpS consists of a signal/leader peptide, a large N‐terminal domain of unknown function, and a C‐terminal domain (PfAcpS‐C) that is highly homologous (30–50% similarity) to trimeric bacterial AcpS enzymes. We have expressed and isolated the soluble PfAcpS‐C domain and shown that it catalyzes the transfer of (acyl)phosphopantetheine to PfACP from coenzyme A or from its derivatives acetyl‐CoA and octanoyl CoA. PfAcpS exhibited much lower activity than E. coli AcpS and preferred higher concentrations of CoA derivatives. Several novel inhibitors of E. coli AcpS also blocked PfAcpS activity, although the degree of inhibition differed between the enzymes. The sequence similarity between PfAcpS‐C and bacterial AcpS enzymes suggests that drugs targeting the latter might also inhibit P. falciparum growth and pathogenesis. (Supported by NSERC)

A Sterile α-Motif Domain in NafY Targets Apo-NifDK for Iron-Molybdenum Cofactor Delivery via a Tethered Domain

NafY participates in the final steps of nitrogenase maturation, having a dual role as iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMo-co) carrier and as chaperone to the FeMo-co-deficient apo-NifDK (apo-dinitrogenase). NafY contains an N-terminal domain of unknown function (n-NafY) and a C-terminal domain (core-NafY) necessary for FeMo-co binding. We show here that n-NafY and core-NafY have very weak interactions in intact NafY. The NMR structure of n-NafY reveals that it belongs to the sterile α-motif (SAM) family of domains, which are frequently involved in protein-protein interactions. The presence of a SAM domain in NafY was unexpected and could not be inferred from its amino acid sequence. Although SAM domains are very commonly found in eukaryotic proteins, they have rarely been identified in prokaryotes. The n-NafY SAM domain binds apo-NifDK. As opposed to full-length NafY, n-NafY impaired FeMo-co insertion when present in molar excess relative to FeMo-co and apo-NifDK. The implications of these observations are discussed to offer a plausible mechanism of FeMo-co insertion. NafY domain structure, molecular tumbling, and interdomain motion, as well as NafY interaction with apo-NifDK are consistent with the function of NafY in FeMo-co delivery to apo-NifDK.

Mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in Ectocarpus siliculosus, a key role for mannitol synthesis in brown algae.

Mannitol represents a major end product of photosynthesis in brown algae (Phaeophyceae), and is, with the β-1,3-glucan laminarin, the main form of carbon storage for these organisms. Despite its importance, little is known about the genes and enzymes responsible for the metabolism of mannitol in these seaweeds. Taking benefit of the sequencing of the Ectocarpus siliculosus genome, we focussed our attention on the first step of the synthesis of mannitol (reduction of the photo-assimilate fructose-6-phosphate), catalysed by the mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (M1PDH). This activity was measured in algal extracts, and was shown to be regulated by NaCl concentration in the reaction medium. Genomic analysis revealed the presence of three putative M1PDH genes (named EsM1PHD1, EsM1PDH2 and EsM1PDH3). Sequence comparison with orthologs demonstrates the modular architecture of EsM1PHD1 and EsM1PDH2, with an additional N-terminal domain of unknown function. In addition, gene expression experiments carried out on samples harvested through the diurnal cycle, and after several short-term saline and oxidative stress treatments, showed that EsM1PDH1 is the most highly expressed of these genes, whatever the conditions tested. In order to assess the activity of the corresponding protein, this gene was expressed in Escherichia coli. Cell-free extracts prepared from bacteria containing EsM1PDH1 displayed higher M1PDH activity than bacteria transformed with an empty plasmid. Further characterisation of recombinant EsM1PDH1 activity revealed its very narrow substrate specificity, salt regulation, and sensitivity towards an inhibitor of SH-enzymes.

Induction of HITS, a newly identified family with sequence similarity 107 protein (FAM107B), in cancer cells by heat shock stimulation

The Family with sequence similarity 107 (FAM107) possesses an N-terminal domain of unknown function (DUF1151) that is highly conserved beyond species. In human, FAM107A termed TU3A/DRR1 has been reported as a candidate tumor suppressor gene which expression is downregulated in several types of cancer, however no studies have investigated the other family protein, FAM107B. In the present study, we designated FAM107B as heat shock-inducible tumor small protein (HITS) and studied its expression and functional properties in cancer. HITS is an 18-kDa nuclear protein expressed in a variety of tissues including stomach, colon, lung and lymphoid organs. In human gastric and colorectal cancers and a mouse model of colon cancer, its expression in tumor cells was much lower than normal epithelial cells, while expression pattern and intensity varied among different histological types of cancer. In functional analysis in vitro, forced expression of this protein suppresses the cellular responses to growth factors. Furthermore, HITS gene carries the promoter region providing heat shock transcription factor (HSF) binding sites and amplifying the transcription of HITS by heat shock or hyperthermia treatment both in vitro and in vivo. Thus HITS would be a potential tumor suppressor gene similar to TU3A containing heat responding elements, which contrasts with previously described oncogenic activities of other heat shock proteins such as HSP70 and HSP90.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the lytic transglycosylase MltF from Escherichia coli.

The lytic transglycosylase MltF from Escherichia coli is an outer-membrane-bound periplasmic protein with two domains: a C-terminal catalytic domain with a lysozyme-like fold and an N-terminal domain of unknown function that is homologous to the periplasmic substrate-binding proteins of ABC transporters. In order to investigate its structure and function, a soluble form of full-length MltF (sMltF) containing both domains and a soluble fragment containing only the N-terminal domain (sMltF-NTD) were purified and crystallized. Crystals of sMltF belonged to space group P4(3)2(1)2 or P4(1)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 110.8, c = 163.5 A and one or two molecules per asymmetric unit. A complete data set was collected to 3.5 A resolution. Crystals of sMltF-NTD belonged to space group P3(1)21, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 82.4, c = 75.2 A and one molecule per asymmetric unit. For sMltF-NTD, a complete native data set was collected to 2.20 A resolution. In addition, for phasing purposes, a three-wavelength MAD data set was collected to 2.5 A resolution using a bromide-soaked sMltF-NTD crystal. Using phases derived from the Br-MAD data, it was possible to build a partial model of sMltF-NTD.

TheCorynebacterium glutamicumNCgl2281 Gene Encoding an RNase E/G Family Endoribonuclease Can Complement theEscherichia coli rng::catMutation but Not therne-1Mutation

The Corynebacterium glutamicum NCgl2281 gene encodes an RNase E/G family endoribonuclease having an additional N-terminal domain of unknown function. In this study, we constructed plasmids expressing the full length (FL) and the N-terminally truncated form (DeltaN) of NCgl2281 and examined their complementation ability as to Escherichia coli rng::cat and rne-1 mutations. Both FL- and DeltaN-NCgl2281 rescued the defects caused by the rng::cat mutation, i.e., accumulation of 16S rRNA precursor, overproduction of the AdhE protein, and growth inhibition on M9 glucose medium. On the other hand, they did not complement the rne-1 mutation. These results indicate that the C. glutamicum NCgl2281 endoribonuclease is functionally more closely related to the E. coli RNase G than to RNase E.

A venom metalloproteinase from the parasitic wasp Eulophus pennicornis is toxic towards its host, tomato moth (Lacanobia oleracae)

Three genes encoding clan MB metalloproteinases (EpMP1-3) were identified from venom glands of the ectoparasitic wasp Eulophus pennicornis. The derived amino acid sequences predict mature proteins of approximately 46 kDa, with a novel two-domain structure comprising a C-terminal reprolysin domain, and an N-terminal domain of unknown function. EpMP3 expressed as a recombinant protein in Pichia pastoris had gelatinase activity, which was inhibited by EDTA. Injection of recombinant EpMP3 into fifth instar Lacanobia oleracea (host) larvae resulted in partial insect mortality associated with the moult to sixth instar, with surviving insects showing retarded development and growth. EpMP3 is expressed specifically in venom glands. These results suggest that EpMP3 is a functional component of Eulophus venom, which is able to manipulate host development.