Approaches to Detection of Distantly Related Proteins by Database Searches. (December 1996)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cattell, K.; Koop, B.; Olafson, R.S.; Fellows, M.; Bailey, I.; Olafson, R.W.; Upton, C.
• Is Part Of: Biotechniques. Volume 21:Number 6(1996)
• Page Start: 1118
• Page End: 1125
• Publication Date: 1996-12
• Subjects: Biology, Experimental -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Medical technology -- Periodicals; Biology, Experimental; Medical technology; Molecular biology; Clinical Laboratory Techniques -- Periodicals; Research -- Periodicals; Medical Laboratory Science -- Periodicals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 570
• DOI: 10.2144/96216bc03
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0736-6205

Abstract

The searching of protein databases as a method of identifying newly sequenced genes is commonplace in molecular biology laboratories. However, it is a procedure that is not usually formally taught to students, and method cookbooks discuss it only briefly. This article uses a single family of highly diverged uracil-DNA glycosylases, which fall into two distinct groups, to highlight some of the difficulties associated with identification of such proteins by database searching.