Protein Domain : Uricase, conserved site IPR019842

Type	Conserved_site
Description	Uricase ( ) (urate oxidase) [ ] is the peroxisomal enzyme responsiblefor the degradation of urate into allantoin: Urate + O2+ H 2O = 5-hydroxyisourate + H 2O 2Some species, like primates and birds, have lost the gene for uricase and are therefore unable to degrade urate []. Uricase is a protein of 300 to 400 amino acids, its sequence is well conserved.It is mainly localised in the liver, where it forms a large electron-dense paracrystalline core in many peroxisomes [ ].The enzyme exists as a tetramer of identical subunits, each containing a possible type 2 copper-binding site []. In legumes, 2 forms of uricase are found: in the roots, the tetrameric form; and, in the uninfected cells of root nodules, a monomeric form, which plays animportant role in nitrogen-fixation [ ].The signature pattern used to create this entry covers a highly conserved region located in the central part of the sequence.
Short Name	Uricase_CS