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hopanoid biosynthesis associated radical SAM protein HpnJ The sequences represented by this model are members of the radical SAM superfamily of enzymes (pfam04055). These enzymes utilize an iron-sulfur redox cluster and S-adenosylmethionine to carry out diverse radical mediated reactions. The member of this clade from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 (AFE_0975) is found in the same locus as squalene-hopene cyclase (SHC, TIGR01507) and other genes associated with the biosynthesis of hopanoid natural products. Similarly, in Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 (Reut_B4901) this gene is adjacent to HpnAB, IspH and HpnH (TIGR03470), although SHC itself is elsewhere in the genome. Notably, this gene (here named HpnJ) and three others form a conserved set (HpnIJKL) which occur in a subset of all genomes containing the SHC enzyme. This relationship was discerned using the method of partial phylogenetic profiling. This group includes Zymomonas mobilis, the organism where the initial hopanoid biosynthesis locus was described consisting of the genes HpnA-E and SHC (HpnF). Continuing past SHC are found a phosphorylase enzyme (ZMO0873, i.e. HpnG, TIGR03468) and another radical SAM enzyme (ZMO0874), HpnH. Although discontinuous in Z. mobilis, we continue the gene symbol sequence with HpnIJKL. One of the well-described hopanoid intermediates is bacteriohopanetetrol. In the conversion from hopene several reactions must occur in the side chain for which a radical mechanism might be reasonable. These include the four (presumably anaerobic) hydroxylations and a methyl shift.
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