Identification of the Amino Acid Residues Affecting the Catalytic Pocket of the Sulfolobus solfataricus Signature Amidase

36 mutants of the Sulfolobus solfataricus amidase were analyzed by comparing biochemical data to structural data obtained by a learning machine. The analysis shows that beside well known catalytic residues, amino acid residues Arg197, Lys209 and Asp228 are important for the catalytic activity of the signature thermophilic amidase.