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The Cofactor Specificity Of Nqo2, Shujun Dong
The Cofactor Specificity Of Nqo2, Shujun Dong
Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference
NQO1 and NQO2 are closely related quinone reductases, which are FAD-linked enzymes that catalyze the 2-electron reduction of quinones. Whereas NQO1 has a well-defined role in cellular detoxification of quinones, NQO2’s function is less clear; it uses the conventional cofactors NADH/NADPH inefficiently compared to smaller nicotinamide cofactors, which are often present in low cellular amounts. This unique cofactor specificity suggests that NQO2 may have non-enzymatic functions, such as a role in intracellular signalling.
The goals of this research project include: 1) examining whether cofactor specificity is conserved in amniote NQO2 enzymes and 2) re-constructing ancient enzymes along the evolutionary pathway …