InterPro domain: IPR016454

This group represents a cysteine desulfurase, NifS type. NifS-like proteins are homodimeric and belong to the alpha-family of pyridoxal-5'-phoshate dependent enzymes [ 1 ] which catalyse the reaction: L-cysteine + (enzyme)-cysteine = L-alanine + (enzyme)-S-sulphanylcysteine

Cysteine desulfurase proteins play a central role in the delivery of sulphur to a variety of metabolic pathways [ 2 ]. It is involved in the biosynthesis of iron-sulphur clusters, thio-nucleosides in tRNA, thiamine, biotin, lipoate and pyranopterin (molybdopterin) [ 3 ]. They are present in all organisms (except viruses). In eukaryotes these enzymes occur in mitochondria since this is the primary site for Fe-S cluster assembly [ 4 ].

1. Crystal structure of a NifS-like protein from Thermotoga maritima: implications for iron sulphur cluster assembly. J. Mol. Biol. 297, 451-64
2. Crystal structure of IscS, a cysteine desulfurase from Escherichia coli. J. Mol. Biol. 330, 1049-59
3. Bacterial cysteine desulfurases: their function and mechanisms. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 60, 12-23
4. The AtNFS2 gene from Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a NifS-like plastidial cysteine desulphurase. Biochem. J. 366, 557-64