A novel zinc‐binding motif found in two ubiquitous deaminase families

Abstract
Two families of deaminases, one specific for cytidine, the other for deoxycytidylate, are shown to possess a novel zinc‐binding motif, here designated ZBS. We have (1) identified the protein members of these 2 families, (2) carried out sequence analyses that allow specification of this zinc‐binding motif, and (3) determined signature sequences that will allow identification of additional members of these families as their sequences become available.