Glycosyl hydrolase family 20 (GH20) catalytic domain of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (GcnA, also known as BhsA) and related proteins. GcnA is an exoglucosidase which cleaves N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosamine (NAG) and N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosamine residues from 4-methylumbelliferylated (4MU) substrates, as well as cleaving NAG from chito-oligosaccharides (i.e. NAG polymers). In contrast, sulfated forms of the substrate are unable to be cleaved and act instead as mild competitive inhibitors. Additionally, the enzyme is known to be poisoned by several first-row transition metals as well as by mercury. GcnA forms a homodimer with subunits comprised of three domains, an N-terminal zincin-like domain, this central catalytic GH20 domain, and a C-terminal alpha helical domain. The GH20 hexosaminidases are thought to act via a catalytic mechanism in which the catalytic nucleophile is not provided by solvent or the enzyme, but by the substrate itself.
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