Molecule of the month

The structures elucidated by Dr. Stephen Evans' lab of the enzymes responsible for the generation of some of the common blood types have been designated the RCSB Protein Data Bank's "Molecule of the Month". The Human ABO(H) Blood Type A and B 'glycosyltransferases' are enzymes that change the carbohydrate structures associated with blood type 'O' into those associated with blood types 'A' and 'B', respectively. The A, B and O(H) antigens are presented on many cells in your body, including red blood cells, and are a major source of tissue incompatibility. The Protein Data Bank has outlined the significance of these structures here.