InterPro domain: IPR040586

This is a DNA-binding fold domain found in Phenylalanyl-tRNA Synthetase N-terminal region. Mutational analysis indicate that DBD-1, 2 and 3 play critical roles in tRNA- Phe binding and recognition, i.e., from the drastic reduction of aminoacylation activity seen upon removal of the N-terminal domains. DBD-2 and DBD-3 constitute large insertions sequentially included between two neighbouring antiparallel strands of the DBD-1 domain [ 1 ].

1. Structure of human cytosolic phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase: evidence for kingdom-specific design of the active sites and tRNA binding patterns. Structure 18, 343-53