How Enzyme Works: A Molecular Switch Turns On The Flame In 'Nature's Blowtorch'
Sunday, June 1, 2008 - 22:14
in Physics & Chemistry
Uncontrolled reaction of organic compounds with oxygen is easy: we call it fire. But nature often needs to do oxidations very specifically, adding oxygen to a particular carbon atom in a complicated molecule without disturbing anything else. Usually, this job falls to an enzyme called cytochrome P450.