3-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURAL RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN THE RIBONUCLEASE-H AND CONNECTION DOMAINS OF HIV REVERSE-TRANSCRIPTASE AND THE ATPASE FOLD REVEALED USING GRAPH-THEORETICAL TECHNIQUES

Using 3D searching techniques based on algorithms derived from graph theory, we have established two previously unreported structural similarities involving the ribonuclease H (RNase H) domain of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT). First, we report that there is a strong similarity between the 3D folds of the RNase H domain of RT and the 'ATPase folds' of hexokinase, the 70 kDa heat-shock cognate protein and actin. Like RNase H, these enzymes are involved in nucleotide binding and metal ion-catalysed cleavage of a phosphodiester bond. Similarities of the folding motif and the position of the metal-binding site in these enzymes suggest possible functional analogies and evolutionary relationships with RNase H. Second, we find there is a strong resemblance between the folds of the RNase H domain and of the p66 and p51 'connection' domains of RT. It is possible that this striking similarity within the RT structure indicates a possible ancestral gene doubling event. The similarity may also indicate that the connection domains possess functional roles in addition to those previously suggested, and they may therefore represent a further target for the design of therapeutic agents.